When Love Betrays
by Catfights-Productions
Summary: sets in season 4. Luke and Lorelai are brought closer because of a play Miss Patty is directing. That is if Luke doesn't let a guy from his past get between them. JAVAJUNKIE. LOVE. FUN. REPOST.
1. Define Attractive

_**AN**. Hey everyone! This is the brand new WLB story from Maddy andAnnick written by myself (uhm... Annick) this time. It's weird to be writing instead of Maddy and I hope I can manage to be half as good as she is. (I love you kiddo!) It's my first time working on such a long shot so please, be cool with me ;) We had amazing support and reviews for both What Lies Beneath and Who Lies Beneath and I really wish you could keep it up for this one! I love you guys! Enjoy this new JavaJunkie story!_

_**AN2.** This story takes place during Season 4. Jason **NEVER** existed (THANK GOD), Luke is divorced. I won't be taking much (if at all) about Lorelai's work and Rory might not have a role important enough to be in the credits... ;)_

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters. I only play with them a little... (dirty if you must)_

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**Chapter 1**

**Define Attractive**

"I want a baby!" Lorelai exclaimed while letting herself fall on a stool, throwing her purse on the counter.

Luke thought for a second about saying "_We don't serve them here_". That would have been funny. He could have easily said "_Right now? Ok! Let's go in the back!_". But let's face it, that wasn't Luke. So he decided to be himself and go with the usual response.

"What?"

"I want a baby so I can get rid of it in November..." she sighed.

"Oh, sure. Do you want coffee first?"

He had already poured a cup when she nodded her head, explaining her weird desire a little more.

"Miss Patty has this incredibly cool idea that she's gonna talk about tonight at the town meeting and..."

"And you need a baby to fully enjoy the idea?" he interrupted her, raising an eyebrow. "What's incredibly cool about that?"

"Shhhh. Lady talking here."

Luke rolled his eyes and wiped the counter yet again. She continued.

"Her idea is like... a HUUUUUGE concept! It's so exciting, it's..."

"Lorelai, you don't need to sell me the product, I already hate it," he interrupted her once more.

"Right, sorry. It's an All-Adults-Night..."

Cutting her out, Luke chuckled.

"An _All-Adults-Night_? What's that? A let's-rent-porn-all-together kind of thing?"

"Will you let me explain?"

Luke raised his chin and crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at Lorelai, trying to hide the smirk on his face. How cute was she when she was thrilled about something?

"I'm only telling you because I know you don't care which means you won't tell anyone. It's a secret until tonight's meeting, so I put my trust in you for 5 more hours, Luke. Don't betray me..." she warned him, narrowing her eyes.

"How do you know all of this if it's a secret?"

"Hello! Babette's my neighbor!"

"Right... So Babette put her trust in you?"

Lorelai stood straight.

"Are you trying to make me feel bad?"

"Nope."

"Anyway! Do you want to know or not?"

"Whatever," he said.

"Great! So listen. In November, some volunteers are gonna take care of all the kids in town for a whole night. And I mean ALL the kids."

"Including you?"

She shut him up with one of her looks.

"That's insane!" he said.

"It's pure genius!"

"How are they gonna take care of ALL the kids in town?"

"Uhm, Luke? We don't care about that part."

Luke sighed, put both his hands on the counter and leaned over to Lorelai.

"It's not safe," he said.

"So you're gonna volunteer to take care of the kids?"

"Okay, so what's the thrill in all this?"

Lorelai closed her eyes and smiled.

"Miss Patty is directing a play so the adults can enjoy a night for themselves at the theater,at the restaurant... at _home_ aloooooone. No kids. With Rory in college, I don't need a night off. All my nights are off."

"That's why you need a baby?"

"Yup."

Her coffeewas cold so she pushed the cup towards Luke and he filled it without even noticing it.

"Lorelai... I don't wanna ruin it for you, but even if you could get a normal night off, you'd still need... you know... someone to enjoy it with."

"Yeah, I know. What's wrong with this town? There's no good available prospects. Everyone's taken! How can we possibly meet someone?" she said looking out through the window.

"Yeah... we're like the only two attractive single people left in town..." Luke let out before biting his tongue. That wasn't supposed to come out. Not like that, anyway.

Lorelai jerked her head towards Luke, a smile playing on the corner of her lips.

"You think I'm attractive?"

"You don't think I'm attractive?" he asked, defensively.

"I never said that!"

"Then you think I'm attractive..."

"I... I never said that either!" She blushed.

"What are you saying, then?"

"Nothing! I'm asking YOU if you think I'm attractive."

"Why?"

"I don't know! You said... what's the point of this argument?" she asked, tilting her head.

"There is no point."

"Coffee, please."

An awkward silence came between them. Holding her cup between her two hands, Lorelai studied Luke's fingers on the coffee pot. It sent shivers down her spine and she straightened her back to hide it. She looked at him, wishing for her smile to look normal as she felt her eyelashes battering slowly... Oh my God! She was flirting with him. She quickly sipped her coffee, thanking God for inventing huge cups that can hide your face while you drink. When she put it down, the bell jingled above the door and she turned to see who was entering.

"Now that's attractive..." she murmured loud enough for Luke to hear.

Luke looked at the tall, dark haired guy.

"Doug..." he whispered.

"I said nothing about dogs! Ewwww! You think I'm a pervert or what!" Lorelai looked up at Luke.

Luke pointed a finger at the guy standing in the doorway.

"Doug Whitman."

"Butch Danes!"

The new guy, who obviously knew Luke long enough to know his High School nickname, had a deep, low voice that Lorelai immediately qualified as sexy. Not out loud, of course. It seemed as if Luke had seen a ghost. If Lorelai used the word _vibe_ she would have said that there was a strong one floating in the diner right this instant. But since it wasn't in her vocabulary, she just shifted in her seat, studying the scene.

Luke was still mute, his eyes slightly wider than usual when Doug went behind the counter. He playfully hit Luke on the shoulder and then, Luke finally decided to come back to life. They both hugged and laughed.

"I can't believe it!" Luke almost shouted. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm back to see my family... and you, as a bonus."

Lorelai had to jump in. She hated being ignored.

"Yeah, Luke's always a good bonus."

And with that stupid, confusing remark, she plastered a goofy smile on her face, feeling a heat of blush coming her way. Luke looked at Lorelai, uncertain of what she had meant, but since he knew her so well,he understood he had to introduce her.

"Doug, this is Lorelai Gilmore. Lorelai, this is Doug Whitman, my High School best friend."

They shook hands. Doug was still looking at Lorelai when he said, "You didn't tell your girlfriend about me, Danes? What a shame."

"Oh she's not..."

"I'm not taken," Lorelai's mouth let out. MAN! She would have slapped herself in the face. "I mean... I'm not with him. Luke. I'm not Luke's girlfriend. I'm a girl and I'm his friend, but I'm not involved with him. Or anyone."

_Well done, Gilmore. I think he gets that you're a desperatesingle woman. _

"Good to know." Doug nodded slowly and smiled.

There could have been a moment between those two if Luke hadn'tinterrupted them.

"So! How's the acting business doing, Doug?"

"You're an actor?" Lorelai asked, impressed.

"_Great!" _Luke thought._ "Now I've made him even more attractive. I need to work on this."_

"Trying to be," he casually said, taking a seat next to Lorelai. "I moved to New York after High School to start auditioning. I think it's going somewhere."

"You know, we're doing a play soon in Stars Hollow. I'm not sure how long you're planning on staying, but if you stick around for a while, we could definitely use someone like you," Lorelai said.

"Really?"

Doug seemed interested. In the play. And in Lorelai. While they continued to chat, Luke turned around and went in the kitchen. He wasn't hiding. He was doing his job. Right? Right. If this feeling of jealousy was taking over him, it was because he was tired. Or maybe it was because his High School best friend was back in town but seemed more interestedinLorelai than him. Nothing else. Realizing how stupid he was, Luke came back behind the counter. Doug was gone, but Lorelai was still there. She seemed lost in her thoughts, looking through the window, smiling to herself.

"More coffee?" Luke proposed.

"Uhm, no, thanks. I've got to get going," she said, taking her purse.

"Where's Doug?"

"Oh, he said he'd stop by tonight. He had to get settled in."

"Did he say where he was staying?"

_Not at the Inn, please. Not at the Inn... _

"With his family."

_Thank God._

"Ok. So, I guess I'll see you later?"

"You're coming to the town meeting, right?"

"Right."

They both knew he was not.

_AFTER TOWN MEETING_

A little after 9pm, Lorelai decided to stop by the diner to get some coffee and see if Doug was there. That guy was really intriguing. Well, anyone new arriving in Stars Hollow was kind of intriguing since it didn't happen so often, but this particular one was even more.

The diner was closed but everyone knows Lorelai didn't mindat all. In fact, it was her favorite moment of the day. She felt special having the right to barge in whenever she wanted, when no one else was aloud to. Even though she would never confess this to anyone. Not even herself.

When she pushed the door open, Luke was sitting down at a table, laughing really loudly. Doug was too. There were a dozen of beer bottles laying around. They both turned to her when they heard the bell.

"Well, well! I'm not the only privileged one, I see," Lorelai said. She didn't know if she had to feel like the third wheel or not. The sure thing was, she felt as if her territory was being invaded. And that didn't felt right. She stood there, waiting for Luke to invite her in. But he just took a sip from his bottle of beer. She bit her lip and was about to wave goodbye when Doug stood up.

"Come on in, Lorelai!" he said, his sexy smile still on.

She made a move but stopped instantly. Maybe Luke didn't want her to be here. He was catching up with an old friend, after all. She looked at him, waiting for approbation. He finally opened a beer, and handed it to her. She took it and sat down. After a big, long, refreshing sip, she felt more at ease.

"So, you went to school together, huh?"

_Way to state the obvious, Missy._

"You must have a lot of dirty secrets on Luke, then."

"I guess," Doug said, "but Luke isn't drunk enough to let me tell you."

Lorelai laughed and turned to Luke who still hadn't said a word. He was not the most talkative person in Stars Hollow but she didn't remember him ever staying quiet this long. She felt bad. But just before she felt bad enough to leave, Luke opened his mouth.

"I'm not ashamed of anything, you can say anything about me."

Doug leaned forward to Luke.

"Even that you were in acting class with me?"

_Luke! Acting! Oh my God. _Lorelai almost spit out her beer.

"What!" she yelled.

"Aw Jeez!"

Luke closed his eyes and Lorelai swore she saw him blush. Doug had a satisfied look on his face.

"You were into acting? Why don't you sign up for the play?" Lorelai joked.

"What's said in the diner after 9, stays in the diner," he said.

"Since when?"

An embarrassed Luke looked up at Lorelai. Their eyes met for the first time that night. She held his gaze as long as she could, then Doug spoke and she looked at him, relieved. She hated being the one to break eye contact with Luke. She always felt weak and weird. Now she had a reason to look elsewhere.

"I have to say he took the class because he had lost a bet."

"That's more like it," she said. "A bet about what?"

"Rachel." Luke remembered.

The diner was suddenly really quiet. Lorelai pretended to be interested in her beer bottle, ripping off the tag on it; but she looked at Luke out of the corner of her eyes. Something in her gut happened every time Luke pronounced that name. Something unexplainable. Maybe because he had been so hurt by this woman. And she didn't like seeing a friend hurt. Yeah, she hated it. But Luke didn't seem to hurt right now. He seemed really fine, in fact, he was even smiling. Doug seemed lost in his thoughts, and kind of serious. But she didn't know the guy at all, so she couldn't tell, really.

Lorelai asked Doug, "You knew Rachel?"

"Yup," he said, taking another sip of beer. "It was always the three of us together."

She felt weird not knowing these things about Luke.

"Doug said Rachel had a thing for me and I didn't believe him. So we made a bet. I had to ask her out and if she happened to say yes, I had to take the acting class with Doug."

"So you got the girl and free acting lessons? That's fair," Lorelai said.

"Yeah, I guess," Luke replied. "So how did the town meeting go?"

"Everyone's really excited about Patty's idea. Kirk listed his name for three different parts.Even Taylor's thrilled. He's sure this play is gonna put Stars Hollow on the map. And I have to help out tomorrow with the auditioning process."

"What do you know about acting?" Luke snorted.

"Right, maybe _you_ should help out." Lorelai teased back.

Doug laughed.

"You two are something!" he said.

Luke and Lorelai exchanged a look, both smiling knowingly.

"I just follow her lead," Luke explained.

And then, just with that, Lorelai felt special again.

"Well," Doug cut while getting up, "it's getting late. I still have a lot to do, so I'm gonna go. Thanks, Luke."

"It's good to see you, Doug." Luke said, picking up the empty bottles.

Lorelai got up also.

"You need help cleaning up?" she offered.

"Nah, thanks anyway."

Doug was holding the door open.

"I'll walk you home," he said.

Luke watched Lorelai smile, waved goodbyeand walked away with his best friend. He should have let her help clean up.

Once outside, Lorelai put her arms around herself as if she was cold. She always did that when she was uncomfortable or intimidated; a way to protect herself. Doug didn't make her feel uncomfortable. In fact, he was an easy guy to talk to. But she was unexplainably nervous, even though he was funny and she loved the way he was looking at her. Especially right now... like he was amazed by everything she had to say. He listened to her incessant babbling all the way to her house and she loved being listened to. Like Luke always did. No wonder Doug and him were best friends. She didn't let it show but she was impressed and a little surprised when he stopped before walking in her driveway. Usually, guys that walked her home (which didn't happen very often... especially these past few months) insisted to walk all the way up to her front porch. He wasn't imposing himself, and it was a very good point.

"So, I'll see you around," he said, softly touching her shoulder.

"Definitely. Oh! And maybe you should stop by Miss Patty's studio for the audition tomorrow morning. I'm sure it'llbe fun. Nothing glamorous or fancy... just a crazy bunch of crazy people with, probably, a crazy script." She stopped, paced around and rolled her eyes. "Okay, maybe I shouldn't have said that, I must have scared you. Uhm... anyway. It'llbe fun... and maybe the Emmy people will notice the talent we have in there"

"I don't know... I think I'd have to check with Luke first," he hesitated.

"With Luke? Why, is he your life coach or something?"

Doug laughed.

"If Luke wants a part, he only has to audition for himself!" she joked.

"I'll think about it."

"You do that."

She watched him walk away and suddenly started to laugh out loud. She just had this vision of Luke acting and was unable to keep from giggling to herself. And that night, she feel asleep with that image in mind.

She woke up the next morning with a huge grin on her face. It had been a while since she had a good night of sleep like that. She took a shower and dressed up with a black knee-length skirt, a white blouse and a black jacket. And even though the big red hat was too much, she did put on a long light scarf and traded her contacts for her glasses. She was going to take her job seriously. She smiled (semi-laughed) at herself in the mirror and thought she really looked like a theater-working-person. With the sound of her high heels clapping on the floor, she left for Miss Patty's.

Miss Patty was already there, smoking a cigarette (well, pretending to, anyway) and greeted Lorelai with her loud-cheery-voice.

"Look at you, Gorgeous! You look more like a movie star than Eva Mendes ever did!"

Lorelai twirled around and walked to Patty with all the moves she could put into her hips.

"This is gonna be fun," she said. "Who are we auditioning today?"

"The list is on the desk, sweetheart. But I know that we already are in trouble if Kirk is the only one applying for my male lead and for two other parts. The kid is sweet but he's no superman."

The morning had been long. Most of the roles were assigned and Kirk was trying really hard to suck up to Miss Patty for the lead role. She was keeping the audition for that part last. And it was almost time. She called for a break and sent Kirk on coffee-duty.

Lorelai's feet were killing her. _"How can your feet kill when you've been sitting practically all day long?_" she thought. _"And where's Kirk with my coffee!" _She took her shoes off and lost them under the table, but didn't bother to look for them since she knew she was to stay in this chair for the next hour. Or so she thought...

That's when Doug decided to show up. Relaxed and casual, he walked through the door and smiled at Lorelai.

"So! Luke agreed, huh?" she said.

"I didn't ask."

"Good independent boy!"

They were still laughing when Miss Patty realized who was in her studio.

"DOUG!" she screamed. She almost jumped on him and nearly killed the poor guy.

"Miss Patty! It's so good to see you!"

"My, my! You're back! I hope you're here to audition!" she purred.

As much as she liked watching the both of them talking, Lorelai started tofeel her caffeine withdrawal kicking in. Thinking that Kirk must have decided to get coffee in New York to impress Miss Patty, Lorelai, making sure she had time to, left the studio and made a run for Luke's. Her feet were in real pain when she entered the diner and realized that she had left her poor shoes all alone back there. Luke was pouring coffee to a customer close to the door and he immediately noticed her bare feet.

"Where are your shoes?"

"I'm a bad mother. I left my kids somewhere under a table. Coffee, please. Faster!"

"You left your kids...?" Luke was obviously confused.

"When you'll have them all morning long and they try and kill you, you'll leave them too, believe me!"

"My kids?"

"Your heels."

"My heels?"

"Never mind. Coffee."

Luke stared at her and seemed to have no intention on giving her caffeine anytime soon so she went for it. She grabbed the coffee pot out ofhis hands.

"Hey!" he shouted. "You're not gonna drink out of it, are you?"

"Ooooh! Good idea! I've never tried this one before," she teased, pretending to bring the pot to her lips. Luke was ready to take it back when a loud scream interrupted every Stars Hollow citizens.

"I'VE BEEN ROBBED! I'VE BEEN ROBBED!"

Thatwas Kirk, running around the center of town, crying out loud.

"I'VE BEEN ROBBED!"

The diner's door flew open so quickly that the bell didn't even jingle. And Kirk made his appearance.

"I've... been... robbed," he panted.

"We got that part, Kirk. What's missing?"

Kirk took a long, dramatic breath before answering.

"Doug Whitman... is back in town... and he... he... he stole the lead role from me. And when Patty said Lorelai was going to be... the female lead... I thought I was going to die. I wanted to play with Lorelai! That part was mine! MINE!"

And with that, he was gone spreading the news. Lorelai was in shock and wasn't sure if she believed Kirk. Luke looked at Lorelai, smirked and asked, "You auditioned?"

"I did not!" she defended herself. "I don't want to be an actress!"

Luke really was enjoying her horrified face right now. Just then, Doug and Miss Patty came in.

"Lorelai!" Patty sang. "We were looking for you. Did you get the news?"

"But, Miss Patty, I never said I wanted to..."

Doug cut her off.

"It was my idea. I think you'd be perfect for it."

Lorelai wasn't sure about that. And seeing Luke making fun of this situation didn't help. Patty begged. Who knew _her _puppy eyes could make someone cave in?

"You and Doug would be such ahot on-stage couple! And it's all for the adults so a little hotness wouldn't hurt, right?"

Doug smiled to her. Patty winked. Lorelai was too shocked to protest... and they took that as a yes.

Lorelai turned to Luke, coffee pot still in hands. His smirk was gone. He went back behind the counter and she swore she heard him mumble, "This is gonna be interesting."

**_TBC..._**

_**AN3. **sooooo that's what concludes the first official chapter of WLB3. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing it. And if you want more, please let us know!_


	2. Script, Coffee and Bras

_**A.N. **Here is chapter 2... I had fun writing it! Thanks to Maddy :):) And special thanks to every one of you who took the time to leave a comment. It makes all the difference in the world! Every reviews gave me a boost to write faster so you could get another chapter within a week. Keep it up and I'll do the same!_

_**Disclaimer: **Gilmore Girls isn't mine. But if ASP wants my ideas, she doesn't even have to ask! ;)_

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**Chapter 2**

**Script, Coffee, and Bras**

"_How did I get tricked into this?" _Lorelai asked herself as she dragged her exhausted body all the way to her couch. If watching people acting all day made her this tired, she'd never survive acting herself. And what about what people would think? Since Luke's mocking this afternoon, she could barely think about telling Rory. Oh, her kid would die in laughter. She, Lorelai, was the one making fun of the actors. It was her lifestyle. She was NOT the one to be made fun of.

"_I have to get out of this one,"_ she sighed. _"Costumes, I can do. Making a fool of myself in front of Stars Hollow, I can usually pull off... but on a STAGE!"_

She buried her face in a pillow. Still moaning when the phone rang, she barely heard it in time.

"Allo?" she answered, hoping it was a wrong number even though it happened maybe only once a year in Stars Hollow.

"Sweetie! I heard you were the female star of the production... Oh my! I bought my tickets right away," Babette breathed.

"Tickets?" _Already!_

"Taylor is pre-pre-selling tickets. So! Tell me about Dougie! Last time I saw him he was a kid. Is he a good kisser? Are you aloud to use tongue on stage?"

"We haven't rehearsed yet, Babette. It hasn't even been official for 5 minutes. And I don't wanna burst your bubble, but I don't think the on-stage kisses are real."

"Just let me know if his ass is!" she said in a playful tone before hanging up.

Lorelai couldn't help but smile when the phone rang again, two seconds later.

"No, I haven't touched his ass yet."

"Well, don't take too long then... Whose ass, dear?"

"Oh, hey, Miss Patty!"

_Great! Now's my chance to quit. It's now or never._

"Lorelai, you went home so fast I didn't have time to give you the script..."

"Oh, well, speaking of which..."

"...so I sent Kirk to deliver it to you."

There was a pause where Lorelai tried to figure a way to back out. But she didn't.

"Great, thanks. So, I'll see you soon."

"Tomorrow, sweetheart. First rehearsal is tomorrow 10am."

"So soon?" Lorelai thought she might die.

"We've got to get moving, the show's in 3 months! Well, I have a date so I'll see you tomorrow!"

Patty hung up. Lorelai realized how hectic and weird this afternoon had been so far. Just before she reached the kitchen, her door bell rang. Four times.

Exasperated, Lorelai shouted, "I'm coming! Don't break anything!"

Kirk was on the porch - not smiling - with abig, fat, sealed envelope. She had never seen him this serious before.

"Hi, Kirk. Are you feeling better?"

He didn't bother to answer, nor did he look at her.

"This is the official script. It can change without prior notice. Don't show it to anyone don't mention its content to any living mammal."

"Got it." Lorelai tried not to laugh while attempting to takethe package. Kirk took a step back.

"I just want you to realize how lucky you are to receive one of these."

"I do." _Not_. And she reached again. Kirk took another step back.

"If you don't want to give it to me, Kirk, don't." She sighed.

"You have to sign here." Putting the package under his arm, he took a bunch of papers out of his pocket. He handed one of the sheet**s** and a pen to Lorelai. "If you need a lawyer, we can provide one for you."

_Ridiculous. _Without reading anything, Lorelai signed. She motioned to give the pen back along with the paper when Kirk pulled out another sheet.

"Here and here," he added.

She signed the two lines he pointed out. When Kirk handed hera blank note pad, Lorelai had to ask, "What's this one for?"

"It's for me. In case you become a star."

She executed his demand. Kirk took the pad back and read. "_Coffee Gigi L. More_... That's not your name!" he protested.

"It will be if I become famous."

Kirk put the envelope in Lorelai's hand as slowly and carefully as if it was a new born. And with a last, teary look at it, he turned away. Finally.

Lorelai set the envelope on the coffee table and stared at it as if it was a bomb. She couldn't bring herself to open it because once it was open, it was real. She was an actress. Oh God. She couldn't even say it out loud.

Before panicking completely, she hid it somewhere and tried her luck for a nap. Surprisingly, she fellasleep pretty fast and for alittle too long. She woke up past 9:30pm because she was starving. She didn't have to look in her fridge to know she didn't have anything edible in it. She picked up the phone for pizza and then, it hit her. In about 12 hours, she had a rehearsal. She didn't know anything about this. She didn't know anything about the part she was playing. She didn't know where to start and what to do. She was in trouble. The last time she had felt this helpless was when she knew she was pregnant with Rory. Yeah, ok. Maybe she was over reacting,but it doesn't change the fact that she was close to hyperventilation.

She had an idea. She called the only one who would help her even if the situation was ridiculous. She'd have to trick him into it though...

"Luke's," he answered.

"Hi, I'd like to place an order for delivery, please." She tried to change her voice a little, but her acting talent was not so good...even only on the phone.

"We don't do deliveries, Lorelai."

"But I need to eat!"

"Call elsewhere."

"But I need some Luke's!" she pleaded.

"Then come over, we're almost closed."

"I can't."

"Why not?" he asked. "You're 5 minutes away."

"I can't get out of the house," she explained.

"Oh. You're a hostage again?"

"No. I'm in my pajamas."

"..."

Luke remained silent. Well, he made a soft kind of gaspy sound, but he didn't say anything. He played with the phone cord so hard it almost broke. She was in her pyjamas... oh God. He breathed in slowly and finally spoke up.

"Get dressed."

"Nooooo..." He could see her pout just by the childish tone of her voice. "I'm comfortable. And starving. Please, Luke..."

His throat was so dry. All he could see was her, comfortable, in her pajamas... He pretended to be annoyed and sighed.

"Ok. I'll be there with your dinner."

"And co..."

"And coffee. I'm not stupid and I don't have Alzheimer's."

He hung up before she could say thank you or squeal, delighted by her amazing ability to make him do whatever she wanted him to do. She was so happy with herself that she forgot her rehearsal problems for a few minutes.

Mechanically, she went to the bathroom and brushed her hair which was down. She applied some clear-cherry lipstick, smacked her lips together and smiled at her image in the mirror. She froze, suddenly.

"What am I doing?" she said out loud. "This is not a date. It's Luke. With dinner. I'm not going to dinner with Luke, Luke is bringing me dinner." She sighed. "Gahhhhh!"

She put back her makeup in the cabinet and looked at herself once more. "There's no harm in wanting to look pretty, right? Right. Besides, Luke doesn't care. So I'm doing this for myself. He doesn't care..."

She felt down, now. She didn't feel pretty anymore, just like that. And then she heard the knock on the front door. Her stomach flipped, even thoughshe tried hard to stay calm. She opened the door, where Luke was holding bags of food. When he saw her, he froze, looking at her from head to toe

"You're not in your pajamas," he stated.

She shrugged her shoulders and grinned shyly, like a little girl would do if she had gotten caught eating cookies before dinner.

"If you came to see my pajamas, I can show them to you."

"I'm just delivering your food and coffee." He gave her the bags and turned to the door.

"Stay!" she shouted.

Luke turned around, almost in slow motion. What had she just said?

"I'm freaking out!" she continued.

Luke chuckled. "You seem fine."

"You wanna see me freak out on you? Because I can. It's only a switch away."

Luke held up his hand. "It's fine. Why are you freaking out?"

"The first rehearsal is tomorrow," she whispered.

Luke couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"That's right! You are an artist now!"

"You can make fun of me as much as you want, only if you help me."

She took his arm and pulled him over to the couch, forcing him to sit down and put the bags of food on the table.

"Whoa, whoa! I can't help you."

"Yes you can! You took acting lessons!" she reminded him.

"Not that again..." he mumbled.

"Luke, this is serious. I've never done somethinglike this before. I have NO idea what to do or what to expect. You know how it works, you've done it before!"

"You sound like a virgin," he let out, his face turning red instantly.

Lorelai smiled slowly. "I would show you I'm not, but I don't have time. The rehearsal is in 12 hours."

Slightly disturbed, Luke shifted in his seat making sure he wasn't looking at Lorelai. Caught off guard, he agreed to help her.

"Just this once."

She jumped up and down, clapping her hands.

"Thank you, thank you!"

Lorelai stared at Luke the way a student stares at a teacher, waiting for him to tell her what to do.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked, sounding impatient. "Go get the script!"

Her smile froze at that last word.

"We need the script?"

"Jeez! Of course we need it. You know what a script is, don't you?"

"Of course I know what it is." She thought for a second. "I just don't know where I put it."

"You lost it?"

"I... misplaced it."

"How could you do this in such a short period of time?" he said, amazed.

"I hid it and I don't remember where."

"You hid the script. May I ask why?"

"_He_ was mocking me."

"_HE_!"

"Yes," she pouted.

Luke nodded and got up.

"Where do you usually hide the things that mockyou?" he asked, shaking his head afterhearing how serious he had said that.

"Uhm... under the sink, in the cupboards, in the bath, under my bed, in the laundry basket, in Rory's bedroom so they can mock her instead..."

"Enough said. You look upstairs, I'll cover the first floor."

"Yes captain!" And he watched her climb the stairs. That woman was crazy. And she smelt good.

"Okay, Danes. You're on a mission here," he reminded himself, heading to the bathroom.

The first few minutes of his search were useless. When he saw the laundry basket, he told himself there was no way he was going to look in it. So he stared at it for a few seconds. _"The sooner I find the script, the sooner I'll get home,"_ he thought. So he looked in it. Carefully at first, even slower later. He brought one of her shirts to the side and started to dig in the mess, telling himself there was no chance of finding a script buried so far in clothes. Then he saw it. The black, delicate, lace bra. His knee went weak and his breath got caught in his throat. He was being stupid. He was acting like a stalker! He knew he had to stop staring at it. He wasn't 16 for God's sake! But his hands decided otherwise and he ended up with the bra between his fingers.

"I found it! It was under a..." Lorelai stopped as soon as she saw her bra in Luke's hands. "...pillow," she whispered inaudibly. Her brain stopped functioning. She blushed, putting a hand over her opened mouth. Their eyes met and locked. Her heart was pounding way faster than it ever had. She was embarrassed, to say the least, to see Luke's fingers on her lingerie... She was troubled, flustered.

Luke quickly turned to Lorelaias soon as he heard her. He didn't even think about dropping the bra back into the basket. He didn't know what to say. Was she going to throw him out? Was she going to be scared for life?

He finally said some stupid words. "I didn't... intentionally. I was digging into…to see if the script was... I... You know I'm not a maniac or anything... I'm... I'm sorry, I..."

Lorelai had never seen Luke like this. She couldn'thelp but to start giggling under her hand.

"It's okay, Luke," she finally said. "Pull yourself together, I still need your help."

And she returned to the living room as if nothing had happened. Luke took a minute to settle down and find the courage to sit beside her on the couch. She opened the envelope and was looking through the script.

"So, what do I have to do for tomorrow, Luke? There's no way I'm gonna learn this by heart tonight. I'm not Rory."

"Well..." He was still shocked about earlier but he managed to hide it a little. "You probably have to read the script a couple of times to really know what it's about. And... uhm..."

She was looking at him intensively. But he knew she wasn't listening to a word he was saying. Her mind was clearly elsewhere, judging by the smile playing on the corner of her lips.

"What?" he asked. He shouldn't have.

"What do you think?"

_Oh. God._

"About?"

Luke had always had a way to pretend everything was cool.

She grinned evilly, unconsciously lickingher lips. She was killing him without even touching him. If she did, he'd die.

"About my bra."

She said it as if it was no big deal. If only he had known how nervous she was, just having this weird conversation, he might have felt better. But she continued to smile, because she loved making him uncomfortable.

"Aw Jeez! Lorelai! Come on... don't do this."

He looked around, nervously.

"Luke, I caught you poking through my underwear. The least you can do is to tell me what you think about it..." she said in aninnocent voice.

"I was not poking..." he said, looking at her straight in the eye. He had no idea how he managed to do so, but he was not going to look down first this time.

She kept gazing, tilting her head.

"What do you think of my bra?" she repeated. She sounded really silly, but she was having a blast.

"I... I think..." his gaze dropped and he accidentally looked at her breast. This situation was impossible! He stood up and paced around.

Even though she was feeling so nervous, Lorelai laughed at his reaction.

"That good, huh?" she teased. She would never have admitted it, but she really wanted to know.

Luke adjusted his baseball cap and looked at Lorelai. She wanted an answer? She'd get one.

"You're clearly not a virgin."

She narrowed her eyes.

"I'll take that as a compliment..."

Luke nodded.

The tension being unbearable, Lorelai changed the subject.

"So... all I have to do is read the text? That's it?"

"And eat your dinner before it's too cold."

"Thanks, Luke," she smiled genuinely.

When Luke closed the door behind him, they both let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. And they smiled. They both knew they were gonna tease and get teased about this incident for a long, long time.

_THE NEXT MORNING_

Lorelai was already up when her alarm clock went off. In fact, she was up, fed and caffeinated. It might have been the first time she experienced being in advance. She wondered why she didn't make a habit out of it.But after 46 minutes of walking around her living room, making sure she didn't skip a page while reading the script and looking at the time on her VCR; Lorelai remembered why she was always late. It gave her less time to stress and obsess.

When 9:56am finally showed up, she walked to the mirror to make sure today's inevitable humiliation wouldn't be caused by some weird thing on her face... Good thing she did check; nothing on her face, but her blouse was missing buttons and you could totally see her bra. _I wonder what Luke would think of this one,_ she thought. Remembering the look on his face, she cracked up. It was halfway up the staircase that she stopped laughing. She was thinking about Luke again. That was happening too much lately. She spent way too much time with him. She needed a boyfriend, or at least some man-related-action. She ran up the rest of the stairs and changed her exhibitionist blouse for a tight, but turtleneck tank top.

When she entered the studio, everyone was sitting on **a **yoga mat on the floor, except Doug. He was standing tall; looking handsome in the back with a coffee cup in is hand. He saw her first and discretely waved. She flashed him a shy smile and walked up to him without a noise. Usually, when she walked into any place, she liked being noticed. But today... she felt like the 6-years-old-Lorelai, chocking in 20 meters of white tulle. That's why she felt like melting when Miss Patty greeted her Hollywood fashion-ly.

"Lorelai Gilmore! Everyone, everyone please look at her. This gorgeous piece of a woman will be your female lead."

And if that wasn't enough...

"I hope she knows her lines," Kirk shouted from somewhere, "because if she doesn't, we will have to replace her."

_Oh God. Luke didn't tell me I had to know my lines! I'm gonna make a fool out of myself! _

"I can do it," Kirk continued cheerfully. "I know her lines. I know everybody's the lines. I could do a one-man show with it! Here it goes: 'Hey...'..."

"Enough Kirk. Sweetie, we are not going to rehearse the script today. This is our first meeting!" Patty cleared up.

_We're not? I'm gonna kill Luke._

Doug must havefelt the tension Lorelai was experiencing right now because he lightly put his hand on her lower back to make her relax. And it worked. She turned to him and smiled. He gave her his coffee and said, "It's for you. Luke told me you were a junkie."

She brought a hand to her heart and battered her eyelashes.

"Already talking about me?" she joked.

"It just came intothe subject."

"Did he tell you about my laundry basket?" She needed to forget this. She was being redundant with herself.

"What about your laundry?" Doug asked, curious, confused, and cute.

But Miss Patty had a rehearsal to run. She told them they wouldn't need the script for today and put them all in groups of two partners.

"The partner you get today is gonna be the one you keep until the premiere."

And Lorelai ended up with Doug. She made them sit down on the same mattress, facing each other and she said, "I'll give you three exercises for today. There purpose is to make you all feel more comfortable and trustful with each other."

"Patty..." That was Kirk again. "I don't have a partner. Can I skip the beginner's level and go straight tothe advanced class?"

"You're not taking swimming lessons, Kirk. You're doing a play. I'll be your partner."

You could see from his face that poor Kirk was scared, almost on the verge of tears. Miss Patty explained the first exercise.

"The woman in your partnership is going to let herself fall back for her male partner to catch."

As soon as those words were out of Patty's mouth, everyone jerked their heads toward Kirk. He ran away faster than he ever ran.

A few minutes later, Lorelai was the only one who hadn't tried the fall yet. Her back was still to Doug who was waiting patiently, encouraging her. Every time she closed her eyes and tried to let her body go, she made a step back.

"Wait. You're too far, you're gonna drop me," she said. Then she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I'm sure you are a strong healthy man... I'm just... reaaaallllly heavy, you know?"

Doug just laughed. Seeing how much trouble Lorelai was having, Patty approached them and said, "Lorelai, doll, you ought to let go of your trust problem with the male kind. Let yourself experience the pleasure of abandoning your body to a mannnn."

_Now, that sounds weird._

Doug chuckled. Lorelai knew everyone was staring at her like in her worst nightmare. Except she wasn't naked.

"I'm not having trust issues!" Lorelai protested. "It's just physically impossible for me to fall backwards. It's because of this really bad chickenpox I had; the doctor said my balance had been affected... And that, unfortunately, I would never be able to fall back again. Ask Rory! When I trip, it's always **a** fall on my face."

"Nice rant..." Doug whispered, impressed.

"You are a born-star!" Patty laughed, theatrically. "Now, everyone! The next exercise is very simple and it will conclude today's rehearsal."

She went to the stereo and pressed play. A slow song came on.

"That I can do." Lorelai smiled at Doug.

They had no trouble at all dancing together. Some people would even have said they were perfect for it. They laughed quietly and talked like two old friends.

That's when Luke decided to show up with the case of water bottles Miss Patty had ordered from him. He nearly dropped it as he saw them dancing really closely, and having fun. He put down the case next to the door, and with a last look in their direction, understood he had a choice. He could do something really quickly... or let them be.

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_**A.N.2** Sad. I didn't want to stop writing but I wanted you to have something... so here it was. In the next chapter, even more Luke&Lorelai action... I know you hate Doug, but he's there for a reason. Even the ugliest spider has its purpose. So don't squish it! And review!_


	3. Spiders Run Fast

_**A.N.** Hey you all! Thank you SO MUCH for all the feedback you give us. It gives me the strenght I need to write long chapters. I'm sorry it took me so long to update. Maddy and I kepthavingschedule problems andsince it'sour story, we wanna update together. But here we are, together (She's probably still half drunk ;) ) and here's your reward for so much comments!I worked really hard on this one so I hope you like it! Thanks and hugs to Maddy! _

_Oh! And uhm... there might be a few (many) mistakes in the text because we wanted to update tonight so we didn't have time to verify everything. Thanks!**

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**Chapter 3**

**Spiders Run Fast**

"There's one thing I can't figure out," Doug said to Luke before taking a last sip of soda. Luke was clearing the counter. The dinner rush was just about over.

"If it's one of my secret recipe, forget it. I'm not telling," Luke joked, turning around to take the cloth.

"Why is she still single?"

_He we are._ Luke knew this time would come sooner rather than later. But he still wasn't prepared for it. He stared in front of him, at the kitchen, feeling Doug's eyes on his back. He decided to avoid the topic for a few seconds, to give him time to compose himself. And he replied, "Miss Patty's never really single."

Doug laughed. Luke didn't think it was funny at all.

"You know I'm talking about Lorelai."

And Luke finally turned to Doug. A semi-fake smile hanging on his lips, he let out a noise that sounded halfway between a chuckle and a snort. "Yeah..." He couldn't gain any more time. He had to jump in. But Doug was already talking again.

"I mean, when she enters a room, she lights it up! She's gorgeous, sexy, fun, intelligent, witty... sparkling..."

Luke repressed a sigh. He knew that already. He also knew that this description wasn't even close to being enough. There were so many more things about Lorelai; indescribable things, things you couldn't possibly put in words; things you could only feel deep down inside of your gut; things that made you sound ridiculous when you tried to express them. And even though anyone could see what Doug was talking about, Luke still felt his chest tightened. He didn't want anyone else to say it out loud. Because it meant that he wasn't the only one in the run. Oh, of course he had always known that. He knew he wasn't running fast enough... in fact, he wasn't really running at all. But he had always felt like he still had time to get on his mark. The race was starting without him. And he was so behind he didn't stand a chance. Or so he thought.

"She's amazing. Why would she still be single?" Doug continued, looking directly at Luke, like he was really expecting his friend to come up with The Answer.

"Because no one is good enough for her," Luke let out without thinking. Doug nodded and noted, "You're like a big brother to her, aren't you?"

_Jeez, I hope not._ "Well..." Luke dragged out. Why couldn't he ever easily talk? Everything was always trapped within him, burning his gut, fighting his insides. "She deserves the best. I don't want her to get hurt by another one of those idiots."

"Am I one of those idiots?"

_Aw, man._ Was he asking his permission? Doug was a great guy. A really great guy. At least, he was, back in High School. But this great guy was living in New York... and Lorelai wasn't a big city girl. But what if she was? What if she did fall for Doug and decided to move in Sex & the City? What if he gave his blessing to Doug, only to see her pack and go? And what if Doug did break Lorelai's heart? Would it be Luke's fault? Nah. He couldn't risk that. But he couldn't tell Doug not to take his chances with her either. What if Doug _was_ great match for her? Lorelai deserved to be happy. To be the happiest. Why was Luke even thinking about this? Who was he to decide these kinds of things? He was no Judge Judy. Those choices weren't his.

Luke opened his mouth to respond without having any idea of what was going to come out, but he didn't have to take the leap because he was interrupted. She had just came in.

"Hey guys! What's up?" Lorelai smiled at Luke who was curiously looking uneasy and glanced at Doug as she sat on the stool next to him. He was still staring at Luke. "Did I interrupt something important?" she asked, her eyes sweeping back and forth between them.

Luke threw the cloth that was still in his hands and filled a cup of coffee. "Nothing important, we were talking about you..." he teased, sliding the cup towards her.

"Why, thank you! You really know how to talk your way into my heart, doll." Her eyes locked with Luke's as she slowly blew on her coffee to make it colder. Luke's breath got stuck in his throat, unable to break eye contact.

Maybe he was feeling left out, or maybe something in the look Luke and Lorelai were exchanging set him off, but Doug decided it was time for him to make a move.

"Lorelai, I have something to ask you."

The sound of his voice almost made her jump. She broke gaze with Luke, turned to Doug and took another sip of coffee to hide her nervousness. Doug made a move to take the cup away from her face but she backed away, gasping loudly. Luke simply said, "Taking away her coffee before you ask something? Definitely not good way to go." Lorelai pretended to be offended and surprised and added, "Get your own!" She gasped again and turned to Luke, "No foreplay at all... just straight to the cup. This man doesn't know women at all!"

Luke laughed despite himself. There was no way a normal person would still try his luck after that remark. Glad, he continued to clean up. Grinning, Lorelai looked at Doug. He was nodding at the floor, smiling and was clearly embarrassed.

"You wanted to ask me something before you attacked me?"

She was curious after all. Luke held his breath, praying for Doug's pride to be big enough to stop him. And when Doug shook his head and said he had forgotten, Luke was relieved. Lorelai decided it was her turn to speak.

"I had no idea acting was so difficult! All those weird exercises... You should have seen us, Luke. You'd have stuff to mock us with for the rest of your life!"

Oh, he had seen enough. And he definitely didn't have any potential mocking material. She went on.

"I thought all we had to do was to learn our lines and say them, but we didn't even touch the script yet!"

"It always depends on the director we have," Doug explained. "Miss Patty is a warm person. She puts emphasis on the actors over the text. She's a great..."

Luke cut him off.

"I always knew you had a thing for Miss Patty even back in school."

Lorelai's laugh filled the diner and the two men, who couldn't help but smile too, watched her, hypnotized. Luke was sill studying her face, taking in her beauty, when Doug blurted out, "Would you wanna go out for a drink or something this week?"

Lorelai froze, her laugh faded. Luke's head jerked toward Doug, his heart skipping a beat or two. Did he just...?

_... asked me out?_ Lorelai thought she must have heard it wrong. So she asked him to repeat. And she had heard right.

"Would you like to go out for a drink? Say... tomorrow night?" Doug was trying hard to look casual even though he felt like one of those idiots.

Luke's mouth swung open. He had to remember to breathe and forced himself to look somewhere else. His eyes ended up on his shoes. Luke thought that the hardest part in being Lorelai's friend was to hear her talk about the men flirting with her or about her boyfriends... even though she hardly ever did. But he had just learned that the hardest was, in fact, witnessing her being asked out. She looked so vulnerable and shy. Her face was changed by her blushing and by her smile growing into her narrowed eyes. She was slightly tilting her head on the right, closing her eyelids for a second while letting out a small, cute giggle, then opening her eyes again and biting her lips. Luke shouldn't have to see all that. He shouldn't feel so invisible right now. He didn't clear his throat on purpose. He didn't want to bring the attention on his presence, but he did.

Lorelai had rarely found herself in such an awkward position. She didn't even know why she felt so strange. She had always had a problem talking about her love life with Luke. She never knew why. She never wondered either. But right now, being asked out by a really handsome man in front of Luke made her want to disappear. And to add to the weirdness factor, this cute guy was Luke's best friend. She didn't know why, but it was wrong. Just plain wrong. Luke had turned around to clean the coffeemaker. She wished she could see his face. Maybe it would have helped her with her decision. And she had to make it quickly because Doug was still waiting for an answer. She decided to test the water. If Luke reacted badly in any way, she would back out.

"Okay," she said in a pretty confident tone. At the same time, she glanced at Luke. He didn't move a muscle. No weird blinking, no change in the breathing pace, nothing. Maybe he hadn't heard right. She talked louder.

"I would _love_ to go out for a drink."

Luke was fighting so hard to remain calm. She had agreed. Twice. She, Lorelai, was going to go out with his best friend. That sucked. He couldn't find any other words to describe the situation. Sucker. He put all his attention towards what he was doing, trying really hard not to make any louder noise than usual. And considering the fact that he only wanted to throw the coffee machine into the wall, he was actually really good.

Why wasn't he reacting? That wasn't very Luke-like. What was wrong with him? Usually, she'd only_ mention_ a date or a potential one and he'd flipped. He'd do the big question game, asking her what her plans were and what bank she'd chose once she'd get married... And right now, she had just agreed to go out with his best friend, in front of him, and he was able to act like nothing had happened? Wow. Was it possible he didn't even care? Was it possible he was actually A-okay with this? Her brain was hurting by so much thinking. She didn't _want_ him to get upset or jealous or anything... She had just expected some reaction. She felt so weirded out she didn't even know if she was disappointed or shocked or if she didn't care either.

On second thought, she felt bad she had agreed to go out with Doug like this. Maybe Luke's reaction would be delayed. And she didn't want to upset him. Yeah, that was why she said, "You want to join us, Luke? It would be fun! We could all hang out..."

She thought she caught a glimpse of Doug shooting a wide-eyed look to Luke. Luke would say no, because there was no way he would agree to be the third wheel. But at least she would have asked him and he would have no reason at all to be mad at her.

"Yeah, sure," Luke said, turning his head to Doug.

_What?_ Caught off guard, Lorelai almost fell off the stool. She steadied herself putting her right hand on the counter. Doug was looking at Luke, clearly dumbfounded. Luke was looking at Doug, confident and relaxed. And Lorelai had never felt more in the middle of something.

Doug got up and said to Lorelai, "I'll pick you up at 8 tomorrow night?"

Lorelai, who was lost in her thoughts, came back to reality.

"Uh..."

She saw Luke re-adjusting his baseball cap and looking around. He was uncomfortable. And that was the reaction she had expected earlier. Why couldn't he have done it a little earlier, just before all this weirdness broke loose?

"Uh..." she repeated, "Why don't we all meet somewhere?"

"No problem. Mike's Tavern sounds good?" Doug asked Lorelai.

"Sounds good," both Luke and Lorelai replied.

They all looked at each other. It was sure going to be fun. Fun meaning awkward.

Later that evening, Lorelai received a call from Miss Patty who reminded her of the rehearsal the next afternoon. She also told her that they were going to practice the scene #24.

"In front of _everyone_?" Lorelai asked, horrified.

"Of course, doll. You all need a little boost of nervousness. You'll see, it's going to be soooo good. I don't need the scene to be perfect, it's just a little rehearsal. But that scene is so much fun, you'll have no trouble at all, gorgeous."

Oh, she was having troubles alright. When she hung up, Lorelai search her entire house for the script. And when she found it, she went straight to scene #24. And when she realized which one it was...

"Noooo," she pleaded. She looked on the back cover of the script where Miss Patty had written every actors' phone number. And she dialled his.

"Hey, you've almost reached Doug. Keep trying, you might succeed sometime soon. Or leave a message. I'm great at calling back. Beeeeeeeeep."

She tried 4 times. And at 9:41 p.m., Lorelai gave up on him. She really needed to practice this stupid scene and her mirror was no help. Doug might not need as much practice as she did because he was a professional actor, but she sure needed some. She couldn't call Rory because, firstly, it was really short notice, and secondly, Rory didn't know about her mother's new activity yet. And the Sookie-option was out too since she would probably take her job so seriously, she would be a pain. So she had two options left: her parents... or Luke. So it was more like one option, really. She dialled the Hartford number. She hung up before it even rang but she thought she was so funny she laughed at herself for a few minutes.

Making herself comfortable on her couch, she sighed and called Luke. He would never say no. But she would have to argue a little.

"Luke's. I'm closing up in 2 minutes so make it quick," he greeted.

"Wow! That's probably the longest sentence you've ever said on the phone!"

"I'm working on it. What do you need?"

_Ouch._

"Why would you say that? You think so low of me?"

"Oh, so you called to chat? That's a first."

"Are you complaining? Are you saying you want me to call you when I feel like talking?"

"Of course not. I'd spend my whole life on the phone. So, what do you need?"

"Do you, by any chance, know where Doug is?"

He didn't know. And right now, he didn't even want to know.

"Sorry. Anything else?"

"I need your help with something," she began.

"Obviously."

She knew she would get pissed soon.

"You know what? Never mind. I'll call someone else."

Of course she had no one else to call. She knew he knew that. She was good.

"Don't be so dramatic. Just tell me. What can I do for you?"

She took a few seconds to imagine the way he was going to refuse.

"You have to come over so you can help me rehearse," she said really fast.

"Rehearse your cooking?"

"Rehearse my acting."

She crossed her fingers. _Maybe he will accept right away._

"Then call someone else."

_Of course he won't._

"I already did. You're my last resort."

_Aren't I always?_

"Lorelai, I can't... I'm really not an actor."

"I'm not one either!" she whined. And then she nailed him with the three little words. "Please, please, please..."

She heard him sigh. Before he had officially agreed, she knew she'd won.

"I'll hide all my bras, I promise." And she hung up.

When Luke knocked at the door thirty minutes later, Lorelai pulled the door wide open and said, "What are you doing here?"

Luke raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

She laughed. "It's in the script. The scene starts that way."

Luke nodded and entered.

"It's a short scene, really. You won't be here too long."

"It's okay. So... where do we start?" he asked.

"Well, I made a copy of the scene for you. I hope you can read my handwriting." She gave him the sheets and headed to the kitchen. Luke followed her, silently reading his lines.

"So it starts with Kyle, who's your character, knocking on the front door. So I thought you could go into Rory's room..."

"Sure," he said. Since Lorelai didn't say anything else, Luke stopped reading the scene and looked up at her. "Right now?"

"Unless you wanna spend the night, we should get going."

_Spend the night, huh?_ They both heard how wrong it sounded but neither of them said anything. And Luke went into Rory's room and closed the door. "Tell me when you're ready," he said.

Lorelai had the feeling she was 5 years old, playing a new game.

"I'm ready!" she loudly said.

He knocked and she waited three seconds before opening the door. She had a shocked expression on her face.

"What are you doing in my daughter's bedroom!"

"Aw Jeez!" Luke closed back the door while Lorelai was still laughing.

"Sorry! I'm serious now. Okay. Ready!"

He knocked and she opened the door again. She was curiously nervous.

"_What are you doing here?_" she said.

"_We need to talk._" Boy! He had this serious tone of voice. She actually thought, for a split second, that he really was talking to her. But she continued with her lines.

"_I don't have anything to say to you, Kyle._" She let him in the kitchen because that's what was in the script. It was difficult to read and play at the same time. She should have learned her part. Luke's character approached he and spoke again. In a harsh voice.

"_So you're just going to leave without a word? After all we've been through?_"

Luke's voice was so angry and loud that Lorelai forgot to look at her lines and just stared at him, blankly, taken aback.

Luke sighed. "What now?"

Lorelai shook her head. "I'm sorry. I... I just didn't expect you to act. I thought you'd just read the lines."

"It's written _angry and hurt_. Didn't you want to rehearse?"

"Of course. But you said you weren't an actor and all of a sudden you're..."

"I can go home of you want..."

"No, no! Sorry. Okay... uhm... _I don't have anything to say to you, Kyle._"

"_So you're just going to leave without a word? After all we've been through?_"

Lorelai had always been emotional. And something in Luke's voice made her want to cry. She took a step back towards the kitchen door and continued.

"_What do you want from me?_" She stepped back again as Luke walked towards her. Slowly. "_All of this was a mistake, you said it yourself. You want me to beg you? Is that it? Huh?_"

Luke, or _Kyle_, continued to approach her. Her back hit the door. Luke was a little too close. She had trouble breathing. It was his turn to speak and she watched him, waiting for his line. She had no idea what was next in the script. She had totally forgotten. Luke looked up from his pages and locked eyes with Lorelai.

"_You can't leave._"

_Ok, I won't leave_. Who knew Luke could be so intense acting? It was totally out of character for him. She breathed in and searched for her lines, still stuck between the door and Luke... who was way too close. Or not enough.

"Uhm... here._ You should go._" Pause. "_I mean it. Get away from me._"

Lorelai read ahead... it said: _Another pause. Kyle lift Sara's chin and lean in to kiss her as she says "Please... go...". Kyle kisses Sara tentatively and..._

Lorelai's heart was racing in her chest. She was going to collapse any second, her stress level being way too high.

"And we kiss," she says lightly, getting away from the door, away from Luke. She sat on a chair, going through her script, pretending to be relaxed. "I think I got it down. Thanks Luke. You were a big help."

Luke didn't know what pushed him to act like this. Maybe he was trying to keep up with the other runners after all.

"You don't wanna rehearse the rest?" he asked.

"What rest? The scene's over. I mean except for the kiss part and seriously, who needs to rehearse a kiss?" she blurted out, laughing... kind of.

Luke stayed quiet. He just gave her that look.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing! I mean... Never mind. You're probably right," he said, walking his way to the front door. She followed him. He didn't seem angry. He had this look like he was mocking her.

"Probably? Ha! I mean... What's the point in rehearsing the kiss? You're not even the actor!"

"Oh, sure. 'Cause you'd rehearse with him..."

"So not the point!" She shook her head. _Unbelievable._ She let out a pathetic laugh. There was a moment right there. A moment of total discomfort. Lorelai had to add, "Plus, it would be weird, right?"

"What'd be?" Luke looked at her, right in the eye.

She pointed his chest.

"You... me... kissing? Weird."

"I don't kiss weird," Luke stated.

"I'm sure you don't!"

"Then _you_ kiss weird?"

"No!" Lorelai almost screamed. She had to defend herself?

"Uh huh..." Luke reached the doorknob, then turned back to Lorelai.

"I still think you should work on that scene. It's not any kiss, you know. It has to be a certain way; hesitant and sweet and passionate..."

That felt like dirty talk to Lorelai. Luke shouldn't be aloud to speak like this.

"What makes you think I can't do that? It's not like I kiss funny or anything..." she defended herself. Luke didn't say a word. But he did shrug his shoulders. And that and the smirk on his face set Lorelai off.

"Excuse me! You think I kiss funny?"

"I never said that," he argued.

"When did you ever see me kissing anyone, anyway?"

"I saw you with Max..."

"And?"

"And what?"

Were they really talking about this?

"What you saw makes you believe I need kissing practice!"

"Didn't seem that great..." he mumbled. But she him alright.

"Oh! And who are you to judge? I bet you've never kissed anyone."

That last remark didn't get to Luke at all. He just smiled. It made her even angrier.

"Gah!" she let out, throwing her arms in the air, giving up. She walked back to the kitchen.

"Practicing on your hand won't help!" Luke shouted before closing the door behind him.

"I'm a GREAT kisser!" he heard her yell through the walls. He smiled to himself.

When she went to bed that night, Lorelai was already nervous for the next day. Of course, every one would be a little nervous about a first public rehearsal... but she didn't even think about that. She was nervous about that evening. Had she really proposed the three of them getting together for a weird kind of double-date? No. It was going to be a hanging out session. Right?

TBC...

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_**A.N.2.** So that's it for now... In next chapter, things start to heat up... Stay tuned and make sure to leave any comments/ideas/suggestions/wishes/complaints/chocolate you want. _


	4. Three's a Crowd

_**Disclaimer: **I wish I'd have enough money to buy the rights. Until then, Gilmore Girls is not mine._

_**A.N.** First of all, I want to dedicate this chapter to _Tom_. Your review was... the best gift I've ever received in my entire life. It's because of people like you that we "authors" keep writing. Please, pretty please, continue to review. If our stories are your drug, your reviews are ours. It's a win-win situation:)_

_Thanks to Maddy. I miss you so much even when I'm talking to you. Can't wait to fly to Chicago in about 55 days! _

_ **Oh, and HAPPY 1st ANNIVERSARY TO US! ;)**_

_Finally, for my muse forever and always (who'll never know she is so), Lauren Graham. _

_For all those Save the Whales organization members, for all our devoted reviewers and for you, anonymous reader..._

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Three's a Crowd...**

There are days when you wish your parents would have used a condom on your Procreation Day. There are days when you wish you were hit by a car that time you crossed the street without looking on both sides. There are days you wish you were such a bitch that no one would have thought of asking you to be an actress in their play. There are days when you wish you were a lesbian so that life would be easier with no men. And there are days when you are laying down in bed, looking at the ceiling, wishing all of the above.

Lorelai had been awake for the past 22 minutes. She had stared at her clock for the first 15, but when the numbers became fuzzy and started moving around, she settled for the ceiling. She still saw numbers flashing up there.

She spent all morning cleaning up the house. She was so nervous, her stomach had been burning since the middle of the night, when she had woken up after the first nightmare. In the dream, she was sitting on Luke's lap, kissing Doug... on a stage, and everyone in Stars Hollow was voting with numbered cardboards. She figured she was just overwhelmed. If today's events were spread over a few days, she would probably be more relaxed. So she decided that today was a whole week.

_ Day 1_: 10:30 to 12:45 –Stop the cleaning, paint toe nails, get dressed.

_ Day 2_: 12:45 to 1:15 –Coffee and muffins at Luke's. Get back at him for the kissing comment.

_ Day 3_: 1:15 to 3:30 –Rehearsal at Miss Patty. Don't make a fool out of myself.

_ Day 4_: 3:30 to 5:00 –Coffee, food, call Rory, watch T.V. and mock.

_ Day 5_: 5:00 to 8:00 –Eat something, take a long bath, get dressed for the next day.

_ Day 6_: 8:00 to? –Mike's Tavern. Die.

_ Day 7_: Day of rest.

Yeah. That looked good. And way less stressful. _On with Day 1!_ she told herself. _Pink or purple?_

Day 1 had been way too short. Proof is that she had an unpainted toe on her left foot. She entered the diner, shouted for coffee, sat down and took a blueberry muffin by herself. Luke didn't say anything about it.

"Thanks," she said as he served her magic potion.

"You know," he started, "maybe you shouldn't drink coffee before your rehearsal."

"Oh, okay," she replied, before taking a noisy sip.

"Gives bad breath. Not so good for kissing someone." He left the counter to take an order a few tables away. When he came back, Lorelai was ready with a comeback line.

"Doug likes coffee. And I never had any complaints, by the way," she said. Did she even want to kiss Doug? Well, it didn't matter anyway because it was their character's, right? She never doubted her kissing abilities, but now she was really self conscious about her breath. She hoped Luke wouldn't notice she wasn't drinking anymore. Otherwise, he'd thought he'd win.

Luke knew he should have said "hey" in the first place instead of bringing up the scene. Now, he had to think about how Lorelai was going to kiss his friend in a few hours. And he didn't know what to say next. So he started what would certainly be another argument.

"Anyway... It doesn't really matter if you're gonna back out of it like you did last night..."

Lorelai almost choked. Good think she wasn't drinking.

"I did _not_ back out. I didn't think it was necessary. Why do you make a big deal out of it?"

She thought about adding something. But she pursed her lips together as tight as possible. She could not let this slip. It would be... inappropriate. But he wasn't saying anything, he was staring at her, and her self control wasn't that good. She always knew she had to work on it. But not today. And it came out. She said it.

"You know if you wanted to kiss me, you didn't need a pretext."

_Oh shit._ _Oh shit. Ooooooh shit. _Why did she say that? She had lost her mind. She was good for mental institution! She felt her heart pounding really hard in her chest. She even felt it in her throat. She dried her palms on her jeans, swearing to God. _Please, God, if you could erase his memory right now. Please, I'm sure you have some tricks for this._ When she realized her breathing came out faster than usual, she exhale really slowly and silently.

_Why would she say that? _

_Why did I say thaaaaaaaaaaaat?_

Was she saying he could have kissed her yesterday? That she wouldn't have minded? That she wanted him to... No. Luke had to be logical. The reason she said that couldn't be that simple. Nothing was simple with women. Especially with that particular one. She was kidding. She was testing him once again. She was implying he didn't want to kiss her. She was shutting him up. She was... They had to stop talking about this. So he cut it short.

"I didn't want to kiss you, I was only trying to help. You have a rehearsal today."

"Tomorrow," she rectified, absent-minded. _He didn't want to. Oh, well... Okay. Makes things easier. _

"Tomorrow? Isn't it this afternoon?" He was confused.

"Tomorrow."

"Why did you beg me to help you out then?"

"Oooh, I didn't beg you. You offered," she lied, smiling innocently.

"Whatever," he brushed off.

Lorelai got up and gathered her things.

"Well, gotta run."

"Where are you going?" he questioned her.

"To the rehearsal." She could see his confusedness growing on his face.

"Isn't it tomorrow?"

She checked time on the clock.

"Yup. Day 2, baby!"

And she was off.

_Boy! She's hard to keep up with._

It's when Luke took the barely touched coffee cup to put it away that it hit him. Lorelai was going to kiss Doug. The reason why she would didn't matter. He didn't care if she wanted to or not. It was going to happen. Their lips were going to touch. Maybe longer than necessary, if he relied upon Doug. Luke didn't really know why it bugged him so much. She had kissed a lot of guys; some of whom he didn't even know about. Why was this one more disturbing? He didn't understand. He didn't want to understand. All he knew was this tiny, painful, annoying thorn stuck somewhere in his stomach. He had to do something. He stayed immobile for a few seconds with the cup in his hand. He hated this sensation of idiocy; the one you usually get when you're 6 years old. He was a grown man, for God's sake! He had no clue what he could do. The only thing that was possible for him to do was to go over there and watch them as they kissed. Get hurt some more. He was great at that. Masochist. He called up Cesar and walked towards Miss Patty's studio with some fresh baked doughnuts and some fresh faked confidence.

When he arrived at the opened sliding doors, Luke saw Miss Patty and Lorelai having an argument.

She couldn't believe her hears.

"But when you called me, you said we were going to do scene TWENTY-four!" Lorelai exclaimed.

Miss Patty was as calm as always. She replied, "No, daarrrling. I said scene NUMBER four. I remember."

"Well, I remember better!" Lorelai argued.

Doug put a soothing hand on her shoulder and whispered, "Let it go. She will never admit it."

Lorelai was pissed. Well, to be honest, she was acting pissed. She always had been a little drama-queen. She exaggerated the following sigh and rolled her eyes.

"Did you really rehearse scene 24?" Miss Patty asked both Lorelai and Doug. The expression on the director's face was blank. She didn't seem to believe this. That's the problem with people who know you too well. When you do something out of character, nobody believes you.

"Yes!" Lorelai almost shouted, exasperated. She did practice, damn it! But Doug said a loud "No" at the same time, which wasn't helping her credibility. Lorelai's head jerked towards Miss Patty. She said, "I did! I did practice. In my kitchen!"

Kirk had to jump in. "Oh yeah?" he tested her. "What's the third word of the fourth sentence of the second to last page?"

Everybody stayed quiet. They all bended their head to hide their laughing. Kirk took it as a great display of respect. Miss Patty asked Lorelai, "Did you enjoy practicing?"

Luke stopped breathing. He knew he was being stupid -yet again- but he wanted to hear her say she had a great time. As much as he did.

Lorelai could have sworn by the tone of Patty's voice that she was implying something... Something dirty of course. Uncomfortable, she took a second to look around. And as she let out her answer, she spotted Luke next to the door.

"Yes. I did... enjoy it." She knew Luke was trying to hide a smile. Or a smirk. She felt the urge to hit him on the arm really hard. But he was out of reach. And he had doughnuts.

"Well, that's all that matters," Miss Patty concluded. "Go grab your scripts, we're going to do scene NUMBER 4."

"I don't need the script, Miss Patty. I know my part!" Kirk proudly shouted.

As everyone else was getting their script, Lorelai walked up to Luke. She didn't say anything but put her hand in front of him, palm turned up. He put a sprinkled, chocolate one in it. Their eyes were locked the whole time. And Lorelai almost didn't flinch. She was getting pretty good at the staring game.

"So," Luke said, "What's this scene about?"

Lorelai jumped as she heard Doug responding to Luke. He was right behind her.

"Kyle and Sara learn they have to be partners at work. They hate each other."

Luke nodded. Laughing and doing a crazy dance inside of him. They hated each other? He was thrilled about this.

"Sounds good," he said. And for once, he was being honest about it.

Lorelai realized she was still looking at Luke. She concentrated on her doughnut and started to think. Tonight was going to be so strange. Even if there wasn't any palpable manly tension in the air between Luke and Doug, she still felt bad. She felt trapped. She hated this. She promised herself that after tonight, she would never feel like this again. She was going to sort all this out. If Luke was good about this, why couldn't she be?

_And I thought I couldn't get any more nervous?_

The thing when you are about to go out with two men is that you don't know which one you're nervous for. Not that it really matters at all. You're nervous and that's it. No need to dig into it. But as Lorelai struggled with her hair, she couldn't help but analyze the situation.

She couldn't remember the last time she felt like this before a date. Not that this was one. She kept telling herself that the shaky hands, the shaky breath and the shaky stomach couldn't be because of Luke. He'd been her friend for so long! They had drank beer before. They had talked. And then, the Doug-related-stress possibility was kind of out too. He was fun to be with. No pressure. Then why did she felt like throwing up?

_Gahh!_ Giving up on her stubborn hair, she left the bathroom. She didn't remember the last time she looked at herself in the mirror so much either. Why did it matter what she looked like tonight? Then she realized something. _Maybe_ the reason of her possibly-coming stroke was simple. She didn't know what to expect from tonight. Did Doug think this was a real date? Was he going to be all over her even if Luke was going to be there? How was she supposed to act towards him? She knew she would never do anything that would make Luke feel like he shouldn't be there. Heck, she wasn't able to bare the thought of Luke overhearing her talking about another guy. There was no way she was going to do anything. Not in front of him. Not at all. Even if Luke told her that it would be okay with him if she did do something with Doug, she wouldn't. It would be too weird. And Luke would never tell her he didn't care. She knew he cared. She wished he did. _Oh my! Do I really wish that? Why do I want Luke not to want me with Doug! _Great. Now she also had a headache.

She tried to shut her brain off, got into her Jeep and looked –yes, for the fifty third time tonight- at her reflection, this time in the rear-view mirror. At least she looked hot.

She pushed the door open and squeezed through a bunch of drunk, loud kids. She glanced around, trying to find one of the guys. Man! The place was really crowded.

"Lorelai! Over here!" she heard Doug yell on her left. Luke was already there too, sitting at a small, isolated table. He got up and pulled her a chair.

"Wow," she said, really impressed, "you guys found the perfect spot!"

She sat down –between the two of them, of course!- while they all small-talked for a few minutes. The waitress brought a huge pitched of beer.

"Are we supposed to drink all this?" Lorelai asked.

"Of course!" Doug answered. "And there's more to come!"

"It'd be easier for me if it was coffee..." she laughed, taking a sip.

Luke was completely out of it. He didn't know what to say. So he took a big gulp. He almost chocked with it when he saw that Lorelai was watching him.

"Whoa there!" she exclaimed. "I didn't know you were an alcoholic..."

Doug started laughing.

"That would be a shocker! He absolutely refused to drink anything but water back in High School."

Lorelai smiled at the thought and turned back to Luke.

"You, little saint!" She paused, taking in his new look. "Where's the flannel tonight, Mister?"

He had dressed up a notch. He was wearing his black leather coat, a pair of dark blue jeans and a white shirt. And since the baseball cap didn't really match the jacket, he had left it at home. She was impressed. Almost in shock. And before she could form the words _"Luke is yummy"_ in her head, she drank some more.

"Back in High School, I had to get drunk to interact with the male kind..." she let out, without thinking of how inappropriate it was. Doug laughed –he was a happy person tonight- and Luke leaned forward so she would continue the reminiscence. "I mean... I don't remember making out or making... _more_ without being at least really tipsy. Except that one time. And I ended up with Rory. Weird, huh?" she chuckled a little. Why was she telling them all this?

Luke resumed, "So you had to drink in order to... unfreeze yourself?"

Lorelai blushed. "You could put it that way, yes."

With a smirk on his face, Doug took the pitcher and refilled Lorelai's glass to the top. She burst into laughter. Now that was the kind of flirting she usually enjoyed! Subtle, but not so much.

Luke sat back, watching them. He hated himself right now. Why couldn't he ever be the funny one, the flirty one? He had to grant that to his friend: Doug had a way with women. So he wrecked his brain for something to say.

"So how was the scene this afternoon?" _Come on, Danes! At least sound like you're remotely interested._

Doug answered.

"It's was really enjoyable. Lorelai's a natural. And she's pretty scary when she acts like she hates you."

Luke commented.

"Oh, that I know!"

_Ouch!_ That hit from Lorelai on his shoulder was certainly going to leave a mark.

"I never hated you!" she rectified.

He added quickly, "Well, you've been angry with me quite a few times. And you're so stubborn, you won't talk to me for weeks! For months, even. And that witty thing you got, when you mix it up with anger? Impressive."

"Pff!" she waved off. "You're one to talk. It takes two to fight."

"Not with you, it doesn't."

Doug interrupted the banter.

"Okay... Let's move one before one of us gets physical."

"Dirty!" Lorelai raised an eyebrow.

_Aw Jeez. Now Doug's the funny one and he gets the 'dirty' too?_ Luke thought, admitting to himself he was starting to get jealous.

"We could play games." Lorelai continued. "What about... uhm... the Yes-No drinking game?"

"Huh?" Luke's game culture wasn't that wide.

"It's the game where you talk, you have a normal conversation, but you can't say "yes" or "no". And if you do, well, you have to empty your glass in one gulp!" She looked at Doug and added, "Of course, Luke won't participate much since he doesn't talk."

"That's not true..." Luke protested, gruffly.

"Huh... it is!"

"No, it's not!"

Doug and Lorelai laughed. Lorelai pointed a finger at his glass.

"Drink up, Dude!"

That was going to be fun! And the stomach ache was gone, and the shaking was starting to cool down a bit. _Add a little too much beer and you've got yourself a blast!_

Three hours later, they weren't aware anymore if they were still playing or not. Sure thing, it had been a while since Luke had laughed that much. Lorelai was getting this bizarre chill throughout her body every time Luke laughed out loud. They were now at the point in the evening where they had to blast the ex-es. Their's and the others'.

"I never understood the whole Rachel thing." Lorelai confided to them, but directly to Luke. "I mean... What's the deal with the leaving and the coming back and the leaving again..."

"I could say the same thing about Christopher," Luke stated.

"Well, no." She emptied her glass. She didn't know if it was because of the drinking game. "You can't. It's not the same thing at all. Chris is Rory's father. He's meant to come and go."

"So dirty!" Doug laughed.

Lorelai giggled. She was funny. Or was it Doug? Whoa. Luke was hot.

"Plus," she tried to remember what she wanted to say, "Rachel wasn't even _that_ pretty!"

Lorelai sat back, proud of that statement she had just made. Luke turned to Doug and they exchanged a long, dumbfounded look. They said at the same time, "_Yes,_ she was."

Oh. Yeah, she had forgotten. Elle MacPhearson, huh?

"Right," Lorelai said, "you knew Rachel." She leaned towards Doug and raised an eyebrow. "Did you _know_, know Rachel?" She didn't let him time to even blink before she added, "Oh yeah. I bet you all _knew_ Rachel. Isn't there something they say about red haired women?"

"Lorelai!" Luke exclaimed, surprised and amused by her drunken interest in Rachel.

"Sorry," she excused herself. "I know it's painful for you," she told Luke.

"It's not.." he tried to say.

She cut him off, asking Doug, "What about Nicole?"

"His ex-wife?"

"Eww, don't say that," she shuddered. "Did you know Nicole? I mean, I know you didn't _know_, know Nicole. Well, maybe you did. What kind of socks are you wearing?"

"Lorelai..."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Luke! I know this one's painful too. Whoa. You had a lot of painful woman. I mean, painful _relationships_. Well, now that I think about it, they were painful women." She turned to Doug again. "So, have you ever met Nicole?"

She had said 'Nicole' like she wanted to throw up.

"No..." Doug answered.

"Wow, you lucky one! She was a total bi... total witch."

Luke jumped in.

"Oh, she was not."

"Luke! The woman cheated on you. And even though I'm sure she coloured her hair darker so she could look like me, she despised me. The least she deserves is to be called a witch out loud."

"All right," he gave in.

"Say it. Out loud, please."

Doug slid his chair closer to Lorelai. Luke noticed it. Lorelai didn't.

"Say it out loud, Luke," Lorelai repeated.

"I can't say that! I was married to the woman."

"So? You'll see, you'll feel better."

"I feel fine. I don't need to talk her down."

"Oh, you're so sweet! You can't talk her down... You kicked a car because of her, though."

Doug's head jerked towards Luke.

"You beat up a car!" he exclaimed. Luke hid his face into his hands.

"Oh yes he did! He ended up in jail, I bailed him out and he kicked it again!"

Doug couldn't believe it.

"Ok, ok. Stop that! I'll say it: Nicole's a witch."

"You could have said 'bitch' though. Don't you feel better?" Lorelai put her hand on his right arm. She left it there a while.

"You're drunk," Luke declared.

Lorelai ignored the comment. She emptied the third pitcher into her glass.

"Did you ever call her Nicky?" Lorelai asked.

"I don't like nicknames."

"Oh, so I should call you Lucas?" Lorelai argued. Luke stayed quiet so she continued. "You never ever, ever called her Nicky? Not even in bed?"

"Aw, come one, Lorelai!"

"What!" she laughed. "It has a nice 'squeaky' sound to it. It sounds like something you can scream in bed. 'Nicooooole' sounds guttural... Are you a squeaky or a guttural kind of screamer?"

Even if it was a fun conversation, Lorelai really did want to know. How weird was that?

Luke couldn't help but laugh, Doug was about to pee in his pants. That woman was hilarious! The amount of things she could say to make Luke feel uncomfortable was infinite.

"Enough with me. What about you, Lorelai."

"My scream?" she asked, serious. "It's something like..." Oh boy! She prayed for them to interrupt her. She couldn't talk about that!

"No, what about your relationships?"

"Well... except for Christopher, they were fine. I'm the one who ruined them."

Wow. That was kind of pathetic to say. And kind of true, no? Feeling the awkwardness settling in, Doug got up. "Anyone wants more beer? Luke? Lore?"

Luke grimaced at the sound of that last word.

"Doug, don't call her that," he said.

Lorelai turned to Luke, a little astonished. "Why? I don't... really mind."

"I just think it's a horrible nickname. No one should be aloud to call you that."

Doug went to get more beer. Lorelai leaned forward to Luke. "Thanks. I kind of hate it too," she smiled.

When Doug came back, he brought the chair even closer to Lorelai. _Why doesn't he sit on her while he's at it?_ Luke stiffened.

This time, Lorelai noticed it. Not because of Doug's move, but because of Luke's face. And when Doug subtly put his hand on her knee, she really enjoyed it. Not because of Doug's move, but because of Luke's face. It was hard to explain the features on his face. He gulped and shifted in his seat. And his eyes were nailed to Doug's hand. Maybe she was really drunk, imagining things. Or maybe she was sick in the head. Who enjoys being touched because of someone else's look? She felt the urge to make out with Doug right there, just to make Luke react. And that was wrong. So she smiled at Luke to make him feel better; to reassure him she wasn't going to do anything.

Why was she looking at him this way! Was she trying to kill him? Was she trying to say, _Look, your best friend's touching me and I really like it. See how happy I am?_ Then he tried to calm himself down. It was only a touch. Nothing else. She had touched his arm earlier and it didn't mean anything. Why would this one be different?

Luke finished his drink and got up.

"Well, tonight was fun," he started.

Doug agreed, still sitting on his chair. Lorelai wondered if she had to stand up too.

"Maybe we could make this a weekly thing?" She proposed. _What? Lorelai, are you saying you want to put yourself through this stressful emotional roller-coaster every week? Hell, yeah!_

The guys approved immediately. Lorelai felt giddy. Like if she was in kindergarten and had just make new friends. Luke cut her fun.

"I should get going. I've got a diner to open tomorrow. Well, today actually."

Lorelai didn't know what to do. Luke was leaving, Doug wasn't showing any intentions of following.

"Uhm... maybe I should call it a night also, then..." She motioned to take her purse but Doug stopped her.

"Or you could stay with me. We could talk about the play."

_Yeah right. Like they're gonna talk about the play. Jeez..._

_Yeah, maybe we should talk about the play. We haven't rehearsed that much._

Definitely stuck in the middle, Lorelai looked at Luke. He really seemed like he was waiting for her. And Doug... well, he really had no intention of getting up.

"Okay. Save me some coffee for later, Luke," she said. She felt so bad. If she felt that way, maybe she shouldn't be staying then... But Luke didn't burst into tears, he didn't sigh loudly, he didn't seem affected. And Lorelai was way too drunk to analyze him any further. So she let him go with a goodbye.

The minute Luke left, Doug started talking and making Lorelai laugh, and she forgot they were supposed to be taking about the play. An hour or so later, they were walking to her house. She had let her car at the tavern since she was way too wasted to drive straight.

"Oh my God!" she laughed out loud. "That reminds me of that time Luke and I broke the bells! Were you still in Stars Hollow when he broke them the first time?"

"I helped him out! I was the one looking out to make sure Reverent Skinner wouldn't catch us." he said.

"You're kidding! Reverent Skinner was Reverent Skinner back then too?"

"I'm not _that_ old!" Doug protested, half smiling.

"No, I know you're not that old. You don't even have one grey hair!"

"Uhm... Actually I do. I have three."

"Oh, yeah? Where?" she teased.

"Why does everything sounds dirty with you?" he asked.

Lorelai slowly shrug her shoulders, smiling tentatively. Why did she always have to flirt like this? It was like a disease. She felt really powerful right this instant when she noticed that Doug was breathing louder. And when he took her hand and intertwined their fingers, she didn't protest. But she did think that if Luke was there, she would enjoy it much more.

Unlike last time, Doug climbed the stairs of the porch and walked her to her front door.

"I really had a great time tonight," he said. It sounded like a whisper, low and husky.

"I did too. Maybe we shouldn't drink that much every week though. I might kill myself tomorrow morning..." she joked.

Doug leaned forward and took her chin between his fingers. _Uh oh._

"Maybe I shouldn't leave you alone, then..." he tried.

She admitted to herself that it would be nice if she let him stay the night. She missed having someone to cuddle with. She hadn't been with a man since... uhm... she was too drunk to remember. But she also admitted to herself that she couldn't do this to Luke. Not before he gave her his blessing. Which he would never do. Partly because she would never ask, partly because she was convinced he wouldn't want her with his best friend. It would be like cheating on him.

"I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself," she refused.

It only made him lean closer. He so knew what he was doing... Good thing Lorelai was a strong woman. But he almost succeeded when he said, "I know you're a big girl... But I'd love to care of you too."

"I can't," Lorelai sighed.

"Because we're in the play together?"

"No..." _That would have been easy to say, such a good lame excuse... I should have said yes_. "Because of Luke."

_Why am I telling him this?_

"Luke? What does he have to do with this? Do you have a thing for him?"

"No!" she nearly screamed. "I don't. I just...think it would be weird since you're his best friend. I don't think he would like that..."

"Luke doesn't have feelings for you," he cleared up.

_OUCH._ For nearly 10 years, people had told her Luke had a thing for her. She always told them they were crazy, but part of her always believed it was true. And there was a guy, who knew Luke very well, telling her it wasn't true? She felt like... crying. Because she was drunk, yes, but also because the one stable thing in her life: the possibility of her and Luke always being there if she decided she wanted it, was disappearing.

"Whoa... I... I know... I... he doesn't..." she stammered.

"He told me."

_Oh yeah? Do you have proof? Did you record the conversation?_

"He... told you? You talked about this?" she asked.

"Well, not really. It came onto the subject and he told me he felt like a big brother to you."

_A big brother?_

"So he doesn't mind. Is that what you're saying?"

Doug shrug his shoulders.

Lorelai felt like the ground had opened up under her. She had been falling for about 45 seconds now. She was afraid to hit the ground. Why did she even feel like this? Because, selfishly, she wanted to keep the Luke-opportunity in her pocket, for a last resort? In case nothing else would work out, she'd settle for Luke? That was horrible.

"A big brother huh?" she whispered. Doug probably didn't hear. She looked at him in the eye. "Would you like to come in?"

_That one's your fault, big brother._

Lorelai had been laying awake for thirty minutes now. Curled up on the right side of the bed. She didn't know how she was feeling.

Doug had left a few minutes ago. There had been no weirdness in the morning. In fact, there hadn't been any at all since the moment she had let him in. It hadn't been magical either. It had been nice, just... expected. They had walked straight into her bedroom, he had turned off the light. They had taken off their own clothes and met in the bed. There hadn't been any shyness, any excitement of the first time, nothing. It had been mechanical. They had laughed, enjoyed it and fell asleep. And when he woke up in the morning, he spent a few minutes looking for his underwear. They had laughed about it, he had gotten dressed while she had stayed in bed. They had said 'Goodbye, have a nice day, see you later.' And he had left. It had been like... normal. Having sex for the first time with someone shouldn't feel normal. It should feel exciting and emotional and passionate and it should be weird in the morning. She should be panicking right now about whether or not he was going to call her back. She should have flashbacks of the night they just had spent, she should lay down on his side of the bed, smelling his pillow. But nothing. She wasn't expecting anything, she didn't want anything more. The only good thing was that she knew he didn't want anything either. It was a one time thing. A nice one night stand. The only weird thing was that she knew she wouldn't be nervous to see him again. That's the deal when you go "casual". But she knew... Oh, yes, she knew, she would be nervous to see Luke.

There he was, behind the counter. Her big brother. She walked up to him.

"So, did you keep me some coffee like I asked you to?"

He didn't answer, but he smiled and put a green cup in front of her.

"Thanks," she said.

"So, how did it go last night when I left?"

Lorelai took a deep breath. This was going to be hard to say. Even if he was her brother now. He talked before she did.

"Did you talk about the play?"

She changed her mind.

"Uhm... yes. And we talked about how he was with you when you broke the bells the first time!"

She expected Luke to laugh but he didn't. It hadn't been 24 hours yet but she already missed his laugh.

"Lorelai, can I be honest with you?"

_Ah! There! He's gonna tell me he's my long-lost brother!_

"Of course you can."

"You won't get mad or anything?"

"You mean, I won't hate you?" she corrected him, remembering their funny argument of the previous night.

"So?"

"I won't get mad. Come on! You're scaring me," she said, folding her arms on her chest.

Luke looked at her. His eyes locked with hers and her throat went dry. They cleared their throat at the same time. Luke talked.

"Aw man, you're gonna be mad. Never mind."

This was getting old.

"I won't get mad, Luke! Just tell me."

"I was wondering if you could possibly not sleep with Doug."

She dropped the green cup, spilled the liquid everywhere, brought her hand to her mouth to dry the coffee she had spit out.

_Oh my God. What!_

"Oh my God. What!" she said. For once, her brain was agreeing with her mouth.

While he cleaned up the mess he had caused, he repeated.

"You shouldn't sleep with Doug."

She didn't know if she had to be scared or feel guilty or...

"Why, does he have a STD or something?"

"No, no. Not that I know of," he said. "It's just that... he would tell me all the dirty details and I'm not sure I wanna hear them. I mean, I'm sure I don't want to hear them."

Lorelai focused on her hands. She prayed that Luke would stay oblivious about the way she was feeling right now.

"You mean, "she said, "as a big brother, you wouldn't want to hear the dirty details?"

"What?"

And since he sounded really confused, Lorelai decided not to push to far.

"He won't... I mean, he _wouldn't _tell you the details. He doesn't seem like that kind of guy."

"Well, he's always been the kiss-and-tell kind. So, I'm just... I know I have no rights to decide whom you can sleep with, but..."

"Damn right you can't!"

_Especially when it's too late._

"You said you wouldn't get mad," Luke reminded her.

"I'm not mad. I..." She thought for a second. Should she tell him or not? She felt bad keeping it from him... but since she was convinced that 1) it would not happen again anytime soon and 2) Luke didn't care and wouldn't want to know and that 3) Doug would never say anything, she lied.

"Okay. I won't."

Lorelai felt like a knife had been stabbed in her lungs. It was either coming from the one-too-many beer of the night before, either from that really relieved grin Luke gave her.

Luke had never felt any better.

* * *

_**A.N.** I'm sorry! Please don't hate me! **Have faith in me**. I swear it's going to be awesome! Please tell me you won't stop reading this story by reviewing a little word... please?_

_Next chapter's title? _...One's a Big Mouth


	5. One's a Big Mouth

_**AN. **Okay, I know it took a long time... but this chapter is really long. _

_Thanks to all of you who take the time to tell me what you like and dislike! I hope you continue to respond like this._

_**Disclaimer** I don't own Gilmore Girls but I'm working on it._

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**...One's a Big Mouth**

Luke was still smiling to himself and his cheeks were starting to kill him. The day before, he had asked Lorelai not to sleep with Doug and she had agreed. He still couldn't believe it. Part of him felt guilty though. Who was he to decide whom she could or couldn't sleep with? But as soon as he focused on the wonderful feeling of relief that filled him, he knew he had done the right thing. And Lorelai wasn't even mad at him, which was an unusual -yet great- bonus.

Everything was for the best. He could still see his High School best friend without wanting to scratch his face off. Plus, if Lorelai had agreed so quickly, it meant she didn't feel that way toward Doug, right? Jealous-Luke could go back to sleep. Luke couldn't wait until the next time the three of them would all hang out. Maybe he'd be able to relax and talk more. Maybe he'd be able to make a move with Lorelai... Although only the thought of making a move was enough to make his stomach flip, which probably meant he wasn't ready. He'd been working on getting ready for almost 8 years now; his moment would definitely come soon.

Just as the last lunch-hour-rush costumer was leaving, Doug walked in.

"Doug! I haven't seen you since Mike's Tavern's night. What's up?"

Luke was genuinely happy to see him.

"Man, you wouldn't _believe_ what happened to me!" Doug said, sitting on a stool and leaning on the counter.

"You're... seriously gloating. The last time I've seen you like this was the morning after you finally slept with Joan and we were... what? 16?"

"I'm still having these incredible flashbacks..." Doug said, amazed, looking through the window that overlooked the park.

"Of Joan? Whoa. I should have tried my luck too then."

Doug laughed.

"No! If it was possible to have the same sex-flashbacks for more than 20 years, it would be these _new_ ones... Seriously."

"You met someone, huh?" Just as Luke thought he couldn't feel any better, Doug was telling him he had a new girl? Now, _that_ was good news. Doug wouldn't even try flirting with Lorelai now. Even if he had always been the seductive one, he had also always been very faithful. Well, he only had one woman at a time, anyway.

Doug looked up at Luke.

"You're not going to question me about it?"

"I'm good, thanks. You want something to drink?"

"Luke! You know the rule. It's not real until you tell someone about it."

Luke snorted.

"What kind of rule is that?"

"It's always been our rule! I was the only one following it, though. You never talked about yours."

"Well..."

"And you were always so eager to hear the details! You lived through me, dude."

"Pff. That's not true."

"Come on!" Doug insisted. "Ask me details!"

"If you wanna talk about it that much, call your mother and tell her."

When Doug burst into laughter, he couldn't help himself but laugh too.

That's the first thing Lorelai heard as she was about to push the diner front door. Doug and Luke were laughing. Really loudly. She froze and felt a panic attack threatening her. Was Doug talking about what happened? Were they laughing about her? Lorelai shook her head to dismiss those ideas. For one, Luke would never laugh about her. Secondly, she was drunk when she had slept with Doug, but she didn't remember being funny.

She had no choice but to go in because Luke had noticed her. But as soon as she pushed the door open, the laughter faded out. A weird, uneasy silence replaced it. She stopped breathing. Maybe they were talking about it after all... No. They weren't. Luke wouldn't be smiling like that. Or would he?

She thought it wouldn't be weird seeing Doug again after that night. But she was wrong. It was weird. Because Luke was there and she had made a promise to him. A promise that was broken even before it had been made. She felt horrible but she hid it well. Because that's what she did best.

"Hey guys!"

Doug smiled at her. It was a friendly smile, no hidden meanings. The smile she gave him in return was kind of stiff.

"Hey, Lorelai," Doug greeted her.

How did it come to this? Why did only talking to Doug felt like she was stabbing Luke in the back? Why did she even feel guilty? She wasn't involved with Luke. She was a single woman and single women shouldn't feel guilty about anything.

Luke sensed something was wrong with Lorelai, maybe because she had picked up a menu on the counter and was actually reading it. And he thought Doug might have picked on her uneasiness too because he kept looking at her...

And then, Luke understood. It hit him like a ton of bricks.

The reason Lorelai was acting tense was simple. She didn't want to hurt his feelings. He asked her not to sleep with Doug so she was being distant to prove him she wouldn't. _I have to tell her she can still talk to him..._

"So, that hanging out thing was fun!" Luke started.

_Do NOT look at Doug,_ Lorelai told herself over and over again. She could feel him stare at her. She wanted to disappear.

"Yeah..." she barely let out. "It was... fun."

_Could the situation be worse?_ Lorelai sat on a stool. She didn't want to stay, but her legs were shaking. She had no idea legs could shake. _Ok, time to crack a joke, Lorelai._

"..."

That was all she could come up with.

"Coffee?" Luke asked, wondering why she hadn't begged for some already.

"Coffee," she repeated.

"Are you okay?" Luke was concerned.

"Yeah, sure! I'm just... you know, not 16 anymore. I'm still hangover, I think."

She saw it. The little repressed proud smile on Doug's face. _Oh, come on! I'm not tired because of you, dude. _

"It's been 2 days," Luke commented. "I didn't know you were such a girl."

"I'm not a girl!" Lorelai protested, offended. "I'm fine. I could party every night if I wanted to."

"Just like me," Doug said. He was looking at Luke but Lorelai felt that remark was directed to her. He was getting on her nerves. But it wasn't his fault, really. Lorelai had always been like that. Once she'd sleep with a man, he'd start getting on her nerves. Like if the single-and-_proud_-to-be part of her was pushing him away. Self-preservation or fear, she didn't know which one.

"Well," Luke started, "I'm looking forward to the next time." There. She would understand he was okay with her. She could relax about the no-sex-with-Doug rule.

_He's kidding, right?_ Lorelai looked up at Luke. _Oh my God, he's serious._

"Actually, I can't go out with you guys this Saturday. I have...wayyyyyyy too much work. I'm sorry. But you'll give me a play-by-play. You have to write everything down, every single thing. I can provide the paper and the pens."

"Oh," Luke mouthed.

_Oh, please! Don't give me that face, that's so unfair!_ She hated when he used that face. His smile was trying to hide his disappointment, trying to make him look strong but, really, it made him look so vulnerable... Who said that Lorelai was the manipulative one?

Lorelai tried not to change her mind. _You can't hang out with them, Lorelai. If this face hurts and moves you, think about the one he's gonna put on if he finds out what you did. Uh? Good girl. Stay quiet._

Obviously, Doug didn't know anything about telepathy.

"I'm free on Thursday. We could hang out then..."

"Yeah," Luke said. "Works for me. Lorelai?"

Was that hope on his face now? _Mannnn_.

"B... but that's too s... two days from today," she said, holding on her cup of coffee. Why were her hands so cold?

"Oh, you'll still be hangover, Sandy?" Luke mocked her.

_A provocation AND a _Grease_ reference? _How could he know her so well?

"Call me Rizzo. Same time, same place?" She caved.

"Absolutely!" Doug answered.

She took her coffee to go and left, whishing for some kind of miracle. God only knows she wouldn't get one. Things could definitely get worse.

-----------------------------------------------

Luke was in his apartment, waiting for Doug to arrive. This was going to be fun. He had bought beer and the game was on and it was going to be like one of those school nights they had spent at Luke's parents' house, talking about girls and sports. When he thought about it, it made him smile to realize how _cliché_ his teenagehood had been. And those were the best.

Doug entered without knocking.

"I told mom I was coming over to do a science project," he kidded.

"Hey, Doug. Have a seat." He handed him a beer and they both sat on the couch and drank. And drank some more.

"Is this the same couch that was in your basement a trillion years ago?"

Luke thought for a few seconds, looking at the worn out leather.

"Yeah, it is."

"Wow. Total flashback. Those were good times..."

They both stared in front of them, spaced out. Then they realized how old they were sounding and cleared their throats.

"Speaking of flashbacks," Doug said, "I know you wanna know about it."

"What? About your crazy night? Don't you think we're a little old for that kind of talk?"

"Well, we're sitting on the sex-couch, so..."

Luke laughed at the memory.

"Aw, man. The sex-couch... Okay. What am I supposed to ask? It's been a long time since I had this kind of discussion."

Doug didn't answer, he drank his beer instead, giving Luke an "ask anything" look.

"Okay... uhm... was it in your car or under the bleachers?"

"In her house," Doug replied with a smile.

"Oooh. That's so grown-up-like! Did you use protection?"

"Oh, come on, Dad!"

"I was kidding," Luke laughed. "You sure she wanted to?" Luke joked again.

"Well, she did ask me in."

"Dirty... alright. Uhm... Jeez! Why don't you just tell me? I suck at 20 questions."

"Well, everyone knows she's an amazing woman, but now I know she's _amaaazing_... I don't even know where to start. I don't think it was supposed to happen. Well, I guess I knew I wanted it to happen, but I mean, I didn't plan it or anything."

"Spontaneous, always good."

"Better than good, man. It was like... what? 2 a.m. when I walked her home? And I thought I would have to work for it, you know? But then, all of a sudden, she was all over me. I felt like a boy-toy."

Luke chuckled.

"So she was on top..."

"She had complete control over me. Her dark brown hair falling on her face... The way she moved... I really felt like a teenager, you know?"

"So she took care of you. Did she...?"

"Of course, she did! I think she woke up the neighbors. And her breast... Ok, I have to stop talking now."

"Are you gonna see her again?" Luke asked.

"Well, I'm gonna see her... but I don't know if I'm gonna _see_ her," Doug replied.

"When was that again?"

"2 days ago. Want the last beer or can I take it?"

"Go ahead..." Luke searched through his wasted brain. "2 days ago? That means... did you meet her at Mike's Tavern?"

Doug was taken aback a little. He had assumed Luke knew he was talking about Lorelai. After all, he had made it pretty clear the other day that he was interested in her. But something in Luke's attitude made him re-think the whole thing. Maybe Luke shouldn't know he was talking about Lorelai.

"Kind of..." he said, trying to avoid further explanations.

"Why didn't you show her to me?"

"Well... uhm... it was after you left, so..."

"Yeah, you've always been the lucky one. Except with Rachel," Luke remembered. "What did Lorelai think of her? She usually has a strong opinion about other women..."

Feeling trapped, Doug didn't answer. And Luke didn't notice. He went on, "Wait... you didn't leave Lorelai alone to be with that Superwoman, did you?"

Doug felt as if he had just swallowed his tongue. He shook his head.

"Good," Luke said, relieved. And he changed the subject. Not really. "I hate to think Lorelai drove back home. She was pretty drunk."

"She didn't drive. She left her car at the tavern."

There was a silence and Doug decided it was time for him to leave before any other questions. He got up. Luke talked some more.

"You let a drunk-Lorelai walk home by herself to be with some woman? That's not very gentleman-like, Doug... I'm disappointed." Luke wasn't sure if he was kidding or not.

Since Doug wasn't replying, Luke looked at him and saw him staring at his shoes.

"Hey, it was a joke. Don't feel bad," Luke reassured him.

"I walked her home," Doug explained.

Luke was confused.

"Wait. I think you mixed up your lies a little."

"I didn't lie," Doug said.

"Well, something's not working in your story." Luke was drunk, but not stupid. "You walked from the tavern to Lorelai's place before you went back there, met the mystery-woman and walked that one home also? All of this before 2 a.m.?"

"Yes."

"I left around 1," Luke insisted.

"So?"

"So in 60 minutes, you had time to do all of this?"

Doug capitulated.

"No."

"No, what?" This was so confusing.

"I didn't go back to the tavern."

Luke took a second. "So... then... the woman walked with you and Lorelai?"

"Kind of..."

Luke hated to be taken for a fool.

"What do you mean, kind of?"

Doug sighed. He was way too drunk for this. Luke suddenly had a horrible feeling. He felt even more sober than before the first beer. It was clear now. A little too much.

"You didn't walk two women home, did you?"

"No," Doug sighed again. Why did he have to say all this? Why did Luke even care?

Luke was so scared to ask.

"And you didn't lie about... the sex part of the story, did you?"

"No."

Luke nodded slowly.

_This can't be what I think. Lorelai told me she wouldn't... She told me yesterday. She..._

"Okay so..." _Let's make this clear. _"...you slept with Lorelai?"

How could words hurt so much?

"Luke... you didn't tell me anything. When we talked about her, I told you I... I thought she was only your friend. You told me she was only your friend..."

"Did you sleep with Lorelai?"

At this point, Luke knew. Of course he did. But he needed to hear it. Well, he needed to hear it wasn't true.

"Luke, you didn't tell me anything! How was I supposed to know..."

"Doug," Luke said in a calm voice, "Did you sleep with Lorelai?"

And Doug looked at Luke straight in the eye.

"Yes."

The power of that one little word is so underrated. Luke was really confused. He needed time. Time to calm down, time to digest everything. Was he supposed to be mad at Doug now? Was he supposed to kill him? Luke clenched his fists. He knew Doug was right. He hadn't said anything. And he should have said something. But what exactly_? "Excuse-me buddy, could you not touch Lorelai? I'd like to make a move first. Maybe you can wait for a couple of years, just the time I need to gather the courage"_? Men weren't supposed to talk about this. Men were supposed to be bright enough to recognize another man's territory.

Doug wasn't looking at him anymore. In fact, he was totally avoiding any eye contact. And Luke didn't feel like looking at Doug anyway, so he turned around and started picking up the empty beer bottles. He needed silence to figure out why he was reacting like a child to all this. Okay, maybe Doug wasn't the one to blame, but Lorelai... Lorelai was the one who lied to him.

Luke put the bottles on the kitchen table. Doug was still next to the door.

"Listen, Luke. I'm really sorry. I... Man, I don't know what to say to you. You know I wouldn't have done anything if I had known that... that it would upset you like this."

_Lorelai knew. She tried to tell me. I didn't wanna listen,_ Doug thought.

Luke felt so stupid. He really felt like a little boy. Even better, he felt like that little 12 year-old girl complaining in her diary. And the worse thing was that Doug was acting as if Luke needed to be shielded.

"I'm okay. Really. I'm just surprised, that's all. I'm fine," Luke lied.

"So, we're good? You're not gonna put arsenic in my coffee tomorrow?"

Luke tried a fake laugh. It kind of worked.

"I'm fine!" And to prove how much he was, he added, "I'm happy for you. Seems like you had a great time."

"You haven't heard half of it..."

Okay, that was pushing too hard.

"I'm good, thanks."

Doug was still uncomfortable but he knew everything would be back to normal in the morning. It had always been like that.

"Okay, well... Goodnight."

"Yup." That's all he could manage to say before Doug shut the door behind him.

That night, Luke didn't sleep well. Because usually, when he dreamt about Lorelai, Doug wasn't there too.

-----------------------------------

When the bell jingled above the door in the diner on Thursday afternoon, Luke knew it was Lorelai even though his back was facing the door. Her coffee cup was on the counter before she sat down. He turned around and mumbled, "Arsenic muffin?"

"What?" She laughed.

"I said, 'wanna pick a muffin?'."

"Yeah thanks. I didn't have time to eat yet. Thank God Patty's rehearsal is postponed to Friday," she said before taking a bite of her muffin.

"So, I didn't see you yesterday... " Luke started.

His heart stopped and he almost dropped the coffee pot. She was wiping the corner of her lips with her thumb. He would have sworn she did it slow motion. When she quickly sucked the chocolate off her middle finger, lifting her head up to look at him, a strand of hair fell on her left eye.

'_She had complete control over me. Her dark brown hair falling on her face... The way she moved...'_ he heard Doug's voice say in his head.

As Lorelai wiped the collar of her white shirt, she couldn't see Luke, mouth half-opened, having trouble breathing.

Luke realized he was gazing at Lorelai's breast and he closed his eyes for a split second to get a grip.This split second was enough for him to clearly see a naked Lorelai, sweating and moving, and gasping for more.

"I'll be right back," he let out before he almost ran to reach the stairs of his apartment. He sat on a step and buried his face into his hands, elbows on knees. Doug had slept with Lorelai and Luke was having flashbacks as if he was the one who did?

Lorelai wondered what Luke's problem was. He seemed a little tensed. _That man is working way too much,_ she thought.

Luke knew he had to go back there. He got up and took a long breath.

When she saw him come back, Lorelai said, "Good thing tonight's our hanging out session. You seem like you can use a little relaxation."

_Tonight... relaxation? Yeah, right. _Luke thought for a second about not going. But then, he realized that Doug would think he was he weak, stupid, jealous and upset... And as childish as it sounded, there was no way he could bare the thought of Lorelai alone with Doug.

Lorelai's cellphone rang and Luke shot a meaningful look at Lorelai.

"Don't look at me like that!" she said, picking up her purse. "It's not like it happens all the time. And I'm not leaving because of that wannabe-threatening look. I have to go anyway." And before she left, she stuck out her tongue at Luke.

_Aw Jeez, that tongue..._ Luke hoped those fake-flashbacks would go away before tonight, because there was no cold showers at Mike's Tavern.

Once outside, Lorelai answered the phone.

"Allo?"

"Hey, Lorelai, it's Doug."

She glanced at Luke through the window. He wasn't looking at her.

"Hey, you cancelling for tonight?" she asked, not quite sure if she hoped he would or not.

"No, not at all. I was just wondering if you'd want me to pick you up instead of brining your Jeep."

"Uhm..."

Lorelai was still looking at Luke. He might have felt watched because he caught her staring. Her stomach made a U-turn, nearly causing her to drop the phone so she quickly turned the corner of the street.

"... I... No, I prefer having my car. I don't have a sitter for it tonight..." She thought her joke was really lame, but Doug laughed.

"No problem. See you tonight?"

"Of course! Bye."

When she entered her house, she let herself fall on the couch.

_I don't wanna gooooo_, she whined.

--------------------------------

For someone who didn't want to go out, Lorelai spent a lot of time primping. She was just about to get her keys when the doorbell startled her.

She suddenly hoped it was Rory, coming home for the weekend and needing her mom to stay with her so she'd have a good reason not to go after all. But it wasn't Rory.

"Luke? What... Is there a problem?"

What was he doing here? He didn't even plan on it. He was nervously driving to the bar when, instead of turning right, the car had decided to turn left... and had stopped in her driveway.

"No... I just... heard that you left your car at Mike's the other night so I thought I'd pick you up instead of making you return there tomorrow to get it... you know."

Well, that sounded plausible, didn't it?

"Oh! Uhm..." She had just refused Doug's offer... It wasn't fair to accept Luke's, was it? _Come on, Lorelai! You slept with one, what was fair in that? The least you can do is to accept the other one's lift..._

"Okay, thanks! Let me just get... uhm... What did I wanna get?"

"You're asking me?"

She stared at Luke's shoes for a while, trying to calm her heartbeats and to remember what she had to do.

"My keys!" she almost screamed. She hurried to the kitchen while Luke ran a hand in his hair. He stood there, embarrassed. So that was what it felt like to pick Lorelai up for a date?

_Come on, Lorelai! Where did you put your keys? Keys, keys, keys... Hurry up! Luke's waiting for you. Luke's in your house, all dressed up, waiting for you. Luke's in your house, all dressed up, waiting for you and he smells really good._

She beat herself up for even thinking this, found her keys and they left for Mike's Tavern.

She wondered if her house would still smell like Luke when she'd get back.

----------------------------

When they arrived, Doug wasn't there yet. They sat down next to each other. They both realized they should have sat across from one another but neither of them wanted to be the one to change seats. They didn't want the other to think they were uncomfortable. Because it would have been even more awkward.

The waitress quickly brought them beer. Luke knew he had to talk to her about _it_. And since Doug wasn't there yet, it was the best opportunity. He took a sip first. He didn't know how to bring this up. So he did as he always did. He jumped head first.

"So, were you planning on keeping this affair a secret? Is it more thrilling this way?"

Lorelai thought for a moment that she had just died. But when her lungs screamed for air, she quickly breathed in. She tried to look at him, she really did. But her eyes were stuck on his hands holding the bottom of his beer. She was surprised she could even talk.

"How did you..."

Luke's tone was a bit harsh. Maybe it was intentional.

"I warned you he was gonna tell all."

Now that he had removed his hands from his glass, she had no where to look. So she slowly looked at him from the corner of her eyes. He wasn't looking at her either.

"I know I warned you too late... Why didn't you tell me then? You think I'm an idiot?"

It wasn't like Lorelai to stay quiet or like Luke to do the talking. But right now, it was working out. He continued, angrier but not louder.

"You lied to me. Straight to my face. You looked me in the eye and you lied. I just... don't understand."

She didn't recognize her voice as she heard it.

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable..."

Luke snorted.

"You didn't wanna make _yourself_ uncomfortable," he rectified.

She finally looked at him.

"I'm sorry, okay? And it's not an affair. It happened once, that's it. I'm sorry I lied to you. I didn't mean to."

There was a silence and they both took a sip while thinking about what to say next. Lorelai found something first.

"And I didn't tell you because you don't talk to me about your sex life either!"

"What do you wanna know?" Luke fired back.

Their eyes met. There was the silence again.

"Hey guys!" Doug shouted as he saw them. Taking a seat in front of them, he poured himself a glass. "What's up?"

Their eyes were still locked.

"Luke was about to tell us about his sex life."

"You're kidding!" Doug laughed. "That's a first!"

Luke took another sip. Doug said, "Well, he's not talking... Are we aloud to ask questions?"

"He's not gonna answer," Lorelai stated.

Luke decided he would.

"Ask away."

Doug couldn't believe it.

"You're gonna tell the truth?"

"I'm not a liar."

Maybe that sentenced wasn't meant like that, but Lorelai took it very personal. _He's not even upset that I slept with his best friend. He is because I lied. Is he still my brother?_

"I think I should ask the first question since I've wanted to know for a longer time," Doug proposed.

Lorelai smiled. She would definitely learn some things tonight that she would be able to mock Luke with later. She was shocked about how much she wanted to know the answer to the first question.

"Do you prefer to give or to receive?" Doug asked.

"What kind of question is that!" Luke jumped.

"Answer, please," Lorelai insisted.

There was something about having to play this game in front of Lorelai that was just... pure torture.

"I prefer to share," he answered before trying to drown himself in his beer.

"That's so cheesy!" Doug laughed.

_That's such a good answer,_ Lorelai thought.

Luke quickly glanced at Lorelai to see what she was thinking. She was unreadable.

"Lorelai, your turn," Doug said.

"And choose a good one because it's the last one," Luke warned.

Doug shook his head. "No, it's not! You have about 20 years to make up for!"

Lorelai searched through her brain. There were so many things she always wanted to know about Luke's personal life... she didn't know what to ask.

"Okay... Uhm... Since I've known you, have you only slept with Rachel and Nicole, or were there some other dates I never knew about?"

"You wanna know how many women I slept with?" Luke clarified.

"No! I'm just wondering if you really keep your sex-life private or if it just doesn't exist..." she exlained a little too quickly.

Doug laughed, Luke cleared his throat.

"There were other women."

_Oh. I don't believe you._ Lorelai thought. She bit her bottom lip. _Great, now I'm gonna wonder who these stupid bimbos were._

Doug didn't wait for someone to tell him it was his turn. He asked, "Who was the best, Rachel or Nicole?"

_THAT I wanna know!_ Lorelai leaned towards Luke, to make sure she would hear the answer. She said, "I'm sure they were both extremely bad."

"Why would you think that?" Luke asked, really curious.

"Well, easy! Rachel was really self-centered, which is not really a good thing, and Nicole... well, she was a cold woman _and_ she needed practice with another man!"

Luke was so surprised by this comment that he laughed. Lorelai smiled to herself. She loved that laugh... she loved making him laugh.

"Actually, I think I liked it with Rachel best..." Luke said.

Doug added, "Well, all that gymnastic in High School must have made her flexible!"

Luke blushed. Lorelai understood Doug's statement was true. She really didn't need to know that.

When she saw that Doug was looking at her, she realized it was her turn to ask.

"Okay, scary question... Have you ever had sex _in_ the diner?"

_Please say no, please say no. I could never go in there ever again!_

"Oooh, that's a good question!" Doug said.

"Well..." Luke dragged out.

_Oh my God! Don't say you did, please!_ Lorelai's heart started racing as she held onto her glass, unable to breathe.

"No, I never did it in the diner," he said.

Lorelai let out the breath she was holding in and Luke noticed she seemed relieved. It made him smile. He grinned at her as Doug asked, "In the storage room, then?"

Lorelai's head jerked towards Luke.

"No," Luke said, still grinning at Lorelai.

_Oh, stop looking at me like that, Luke Danes._

"Have you ever wanted to?" Doug asked even though it wasn't really his turn yet.

She didn't know how she managed to, but she held Luke's gaze and discretely dried her palms on her jeans. Was he going to answer?

"Yes," Luke simply answered.

_Oh, God._ Lorelai's mind went blank. _Why is he still looking at me?_

Doug didn't wait long before he asked the next question.

"With whom?"

Luke turned to Doug, Lorelai looked around to calm her heartbeats.

"Huh?" Luke asked.

"Who did you wanna do it with in the storage room?" he repeated.

Luke caught Lorelai's glance on him but they both quickly looked somewhere else.

"No one in particular," he lied.

There was a silence then and they took their time to refill their glasses. Doug told Lorelai it was her turn to question Luke. She pretended to think for a few seconds, still imagining Luke in the storage room. _Is it me, or it's really hot in here? Haven't they ever heard of air conditioning?_ She straightened her back.

"Uhm... What position do you like best?" she let out.

Did she just ask that? Luke felt Doug's eyes on him but Lorelai's stare was the one killing him. She looked like she really wanted to know.

"There's noooo way I'm answering that. I'm not drunk enough."

"We'll work on that," Doug said. "Keep that question in mind, Lorelai."

"Oh, I will..." She said, still staring at Luke.

She swore she saw him blush. Again.

------------------------------

When the second pitcher was empty, Doug got up.

"A last one, guys?" he asked. He didn't wait for the answer and left to wait at the bar.

The evening wasn't so bad. Doug wasn't making any move towards Lorelai, Lorelai didn't seem too uncomfortable. They were having fun.

A few minutes had passed and Doug still wasn't back. He was good with conversation topics. And apparently, Luke and Lorelai, alone, weren't.

"I have to go to the bathroom," Lorelai said, getting up. Luke didn't move his chair away from the table so Lorelai had to squeeze herself in between. Facing Luke, she was trying not to knock the table over and not to touch him, which didn't work so well. She didn't know what happened... maybe her feet crashed on his, but she fell. On him. Her legs strangling his hip.

Both surprised, they stood still for a while, studying each other's face. When Luke suddenly felt like pulling her closer to him, he had to snap out of it.

"So it's true, you like to be on top..."

"Wha...?"

"Told you Doug was great with details," Luke explained.

Lorelai's eyes fell on his chest. Ashamed? Embarrassed? She pulled herself up.

"Nice... very nice," she whispered.

She walked to the door. Luke didn't follow.

Doug caught her arm before she went outside.

"Hey, what's wrong? You're leaving?"

She gave him a cold, dark look. He understood what it was about, but she told him anyway.

"You told Luke."

"Why are you mad? He's not even upset!" he defended himself.

"Of course he is! Two of his best friends went and _screwed_ behind his back!" She was almost yelling, but the stupid music was so loud, she had no choice.

"Oh, come on!" he said lightly. "We're not in High School anymore..."

"Damn right we're not in High School anymore," she blurted out. "So why did you have to act like a stupid hormonal teenager and tell him? Oh, but you didn't stop at telling him! You told him _details._"

Doug was still calm.

"He's the one who asked for the details!"

"No, he's not!"

"Were you there?"

She stayed quiet, not wanting to believe him.

"Luke would never ask for details," she said again.

"He was impressed." He was trying to lighten up the mood, not aware he was making things worse.

_Oh God._

Doug continued.

"Listen, I'm sorry ok? Luke and I have always been like that. I'm sorry I didn't consider it would embarrass you."

"I'm not embarrassed!" She raised her chin. "I'm... concerned... about Luke. Okay, maybe a little embarrassed."

_Or a lot._

"Did you tell him everything?" she asked, afraid of the answer.

He made an "I'm sorry" face.

"_Everything _everything?"

"He knows a lot."

_Oooooh God._

-----------------------------------

The next morning, Lorelai told herself she wouldn't go to Luke's. She was going to go to the rehearsal where she would have to face Doug and that was enough. She didn't even glance at the diner on her way there. Okay, maybe she did. Once. Okay, twice. But she didn't go in.

As she entered Miss Patty's studio, she saw the director walking around in circle, throwing her arms in the air.

"You okay, Miss Patty?"

She didn't answer but quickened her pace. Kirk was mumbling, "I can do it. I told her I can do it. She didn't believe me. I should have caught her that one time during the exercise, the time we had to catch our partner. Maybe she would trust me if I had. I can do it, I swear!"

"What are you talking about, Kirk?" Lorelai asked, not really curious. She kept looking at Miss Patty, a little worried.

"I can do Kyle's part. I know I can. Why didn't I catch her? Why?"

"Kyle's part is Doug's, Kirk. You have to accept it."

"Not anymore, it's not," Kirk said without looking at Lorelai.

"What do you mean?"

Patty's desperate tone filled the studio.

"It's oooover. We have to cancel the whole thing!"

She had stopped walking around. She seemed to hyperventilate. Lorelai approach her.

"What's going on, Patty?"

"I have no Kyle."

"Well, it's only a rehearsal... We could do some other exercises for today. I'm sure Doug has a good reason for not being here today..."

"He quit," she sobbed.

Lorelai wasn't sure she heard right.

"He called me and said he couldn't do this project anymore."

"Oh."

What was going on? Was Doug quitting because of her? Seriously, the guy _was_ a teenager.

"Well," Lorelai started, "we'll figure something out."

"I don't want Kirk to be Kyle. Even if he says the names look alike..." Patty whispered through her teeth.

"I know. I don't want him to be him either..." Lorelai shuddered at the thought. "Everything's going to be fine. I'll talk to Doug."

"Oh, he's not coming back. He left for New York."

_New York_?

"Let me handle this."

Lorelai went outside and dialled Doug's cellphone number.

--------------------------------

So much for not going to Luke's today... She needed coffee.

When Luke saw her, he automatically smiled. He didn't think he'd see her today. Exhausted by Miss Patty's meltdown, she sat down and tried to smile at him.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked, concerned.

"Doug left," she said. She still felt weird saying Doug's name in front of Luke. Especially now that he knew... details about her.

Luke's chest tightened. Was she sad? She seemed sad.

"Yeah, he told me. He had this wonderful acting opportunity in New York..."

Doug really didn't leave because of Lorelai or Luke. But this acting job would be god for all of them. Doug thought it would be easier for his friend and Lorelai to realize some things if he was not around.

"He could be in Egypt, for all I care, but Miss Patty's a basket case. We have no more male lead so we have to cancel the whole thing."

_That's the reason she's upset? I can deal with that._

"I'm sorry," Luke said. "I know you were excited about this. And you were a really good actress, too."

She smiled as she remembered rehearsing with Luke. Boy, was he intense!

"No one else can do his part?" Luke asked, trying to help. "I mean... Doug's not irreplaceable."

Lorelai felt as if she had been struck with lightening. She had the perfect solution that could save the play _and_ maybe resolved this weirdness between Luke and her since Doug had showed up. The thing was how to make him do it. She decided on the usual tactic.

"Thank you, Luke! You won't regret it!" Lorelai said excitedly, getting up.

"Whoa, whoa! What won't I regret?"

"Accepting to play Kyle in the play! I would never have thought of it myself! I knew from the minute you helped me rehearse that you missed acting."

"I didn't..."

But everyone knew Lorelai had her way with Luke. Even if he didn't know it yet, Luke had agreed.

"I'm gonna tell Miss Patty before she gives the part to Kirk out of desperation!"

And she was off.

_Wow. Okay... _

Luke knew it was unnecessary to try to get out of it. Though he thought about all the ways he could have handled this conversation so it didn't end up like this.

He was going to be an actor? The town people wouldn't believe it. He was going to be mocked for the rest of his life...

But Doug was gone... and Lorelai didn't care.

He smiled.

* * *

_**AN2 **Are you smiling? The spider's gone for good! I know this chapter lacked of LL lovin' but next chapter's gonna makeup for it. PROMISE! ;) OOOOH IT WILLLLLLL... _

_Teaser? Can anyone say 'rehearsal' ?_


	6. And Then They Were Two

_**A.N.** I KNOOOOOW it took forever! But here it is... Thank you so much for reading and reviewing every chapter! And I especially love when you quote what you liked best! Makes it easier for me to really understand what you want! _

_Maddy, thanks for being there for me! Thanks for going along with my weirdness... And I hope you'll be there in 28 days at the airport also..._

_**Disclaimer: **Well, well... What can I say? Christmas is coming soon. Maybe then it'll be mine._

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**And Then They Were Two**

Lorelai was out of breath. She had run from the diner as fast as she could. She had no idea why she was so exhilarated but she couldn't wait to see Miss Patty's reaction when she'd tell her she had saved the play.

As she entered the studio, she immediately saw her sitting at the table, staring in front of her. She didn't notice Lorelai coming in. She only snapped out of it when Lorelai exclaimed, "He will do it!"

Patty let out a sigh and in a slow, desperate voice, responded, "Oh, Lorelai. Thank you for trying to cheer me up, but it would take me years and _years _to make Kirk look remotely as attractive as a smurf and we've only got a couple of weeks."

"No, not Kirk! Luke. Luke will do it!"

Miss Patty hesitated between laughing and laughing out loud.

"Luke? Your Lu... _our_ Luke?"

"Yes," Lorelai nodded vigorously. "I asked him and he will do it."

"Luke... playing Kyle?"

Miss Patty couldn't believe it. Even in her wildest dream –and God knows she had wild ones- she would never have imagined a more perfect opportunity...

"Luke and Lorelai as love interests..." she said, repeating it in her head over and over again.

A laugh got stuck in Lorelai's throat and it came out in a weird mid-chocking, mid-squealing sound.

"Well... when you say it that way, it sure sounds... weird and... kind of disturbing, but I saw him act once and he was actually pretty. I mean good. _Prettygood._ He was... that." _What was that, Gilmore? _"I know there are only a couple of weeks before the premiere but I'm sure he'll learn fast."

Miss Patty didn't listen to a word Lorelai had just said. She was still imagining the hit it would be...

Lorelai wondered why Patty wasn't more thrilled about this. An opportunity to see Luke act would certainly make every single person in Stars Hollow buy a ticket. Oh, Lorelai really didn't make Luke do this play so that he'd get laughed at. She didn't know why she did it, but she was convinced of one thing: if he acted on stage as intensely as he did when he helped her out, he would blow them all away.

"Luke and Lorelai..." Patty pondered out loud.

Unconsciously, Lorelai was now holding her breath waiting for the director's verdict.

"... Well, if I edit a scene or two I guess it would work out," she finally said.

"Edit? You mean, change the text?" Lorelai was a little confused, but Miss Patty's excitement for the project was back.

"Well, darling, those kisses between Kyle and Sarah..." Patty dragged out.

"Oh." She had completely and sincerely forgotten about that. Lorelai blinked a few times, mouth slightly open. Okay, maybe she hadn't entirely forgotten about it... But it wasn't the reason she asked Luke! _Oh God. I hope Luke doesn't think I want him to act so we can kiss... Wait, wait, wait! Miss Patty just said she would edit the kisses. That's good. Right? No kissing Luke. Patty knows it would be too weird for two old friends to kiss on stage when everyone in town knows them. It wouldn't seem real. No kiss. No kiss? Oh my God, Lorelai! Is that disappointment I feel in your stomach? Of course not. It's the lack of food. Okay then... Why are you even thinking about this? Because Luke will be relieved when I tell him the kisses are being edited. _

"Yeah, you're right. Edit all you want," Lorelai said.

"Of course I will, don't worry about anything. Okay now, Luke hasn't participated in any kind of costumed events in town since he was a kid, so we don't know his grown-up vital statistics. You're in charge of finding out."

"Finding out his vital statistics?" Lorelai repeated.

"Oh! Don't sound so scandalized! We need to know his measurements for the costumes."

"Well, I'm sure he's large." As soon as it came out of her mouth, Lorelai closed her eyes shut tight. But too late, she had already seen the huge grin on Patty's face. Hearing her laugh made her blush even more, if humanly possible. She forced herself to open her eyes again and said, "Why don't you just ask him what they are?"

"You really think he knows them?"

"Then, why don't you take care of his measurements yourself?"

"Don't be silly! Luke will never let me touch him, damn shame..." Patty pouted.

"Well," Lorelai argued, "he won't let me either! I'm sure we can make an approximation..."

Patty acted as if she hadn't heard and cut her off, "I'll need the statistics tomorrow."

Since when was she taking orders from Miss Patty? Lorelai repressed a sigh and went straight home.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She stared at the phone for quite some time, waiting for an idea. How could she tell Luke she needed to "measure" him without it sounding so dirty? Maybe she could just invent some numbers to give to Patty... but then, if the costumes didn't fit, it would be bad. She had to do it. She couldn't go to the diner for this, though. She needed to be in her own territory. As she got the nerve to pick up the phone, there was a knock on the front door.

Relieved to have to postpone that phone call, she got off the couch and walked to the door.

_Oh_.

She didn't need to call. He was there.

"Kirk told me you needed me for something," Luke stated.

She let him in and followed him after he had walked passed her.

"Kirk? How did he..." She shook her head. "Okay, never mind. In fact, I don't need you, I need your body."

Luke frowned and abruptly stopped moving. Lorelai nearly bumped into him.

"Measurements!" she quickly added. "Your body _measurements_!"

Would things ever go back to normal? Since when was she so nervous when Luke was around?

"What for?" Luke asked, more relaxed, as he turned to her.

"To play. I mean, _for the_ play! Costumes, you know..."

Luke, a little amused, squinted his eyes. "Ookay..." he said, unsure.

"Well, make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back," she said, heading to the stairs.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm getting my measuring tape, obviously."

"Can't you just look at my clothes' tags?"

"I wish..." she muttered before running upstairs.

Was it only him, or was there some real tension in there? _Maybe it's about that Doug thing. She's probably still uncomfortable since I know some details about her... Oh, no! Stop that right now, Danes!_ he thought, rubbing his eyes, trying to repress those Lorelai images.

When Lorelai came back in the living room, Luke was still in the exact same position. She had no idea what he was thinking about; she was way too absorbed by her own feelings. Maybe she was just over analyzing the situation. It wasn't that big of a deal, was it?

When she instructed him to extend his arms so she could measure their length, she noticed that he was clearly avoiding her eyes... Not that she was searching for his, or anything. In fact, she was probably also avoiding eye contact, though glancing at his face every few seconds.

"Could you relax a little, Luke? You're making me nervous," she asked as she did everything possible not to touch his arm with her fingers.

_I'm not gonna make it,_ Luke thought. _She's gonna kill me brushing her fingers on me like that. Can't she hurry up?_

She was concentrating so hard on not touching him that it made every little contact worse. When she moved to the other arm, she realized she should have been writing the numbers down... but if Luke understood she had forgotten the main reason she was doing this in the first place, he would think she was enjoying it, which she was not. How could she enjoy feeling her stomach twist so much, making it difficult to breathe normally? How could she enjoy having to force herself to stop shaking? How could she enjoy that burning sensation in her gut? Luke saved her.

"Shouldn't you be writing this down?"

"I have an incredibly good memory," she replied.

"Lorelai, please write it down, I don't wanna go through this again."

She laughed at him.

"What are you whining about? I'm the one working, all you have to do is stand there!"

But she went to the kitchen to find a piece of paper and a pen. It gave them both time to take a deep, effective breath.

This situation was so ridiculous. They were both adults. They should have been able to dismiss the tension with a joke and a laugh or two, not to make it thicker with silence.

Standing before him, she was now measuring the length between his neck and his shoulder. At this point, she didn't even know if that measure was relevant or not. Her fingers touched his bare neck. She fought her first instinct that was to yank away her hand immediately because her brain told her, "If you don't want Luke to know how disturbing this is for you, you better act like everything's fine. Plus, it's only Luke..." She had placed the measuring tape the wrong way so she had to read the number on his neck's side. She leaned forward and breathed out at the same time. Maybe she did it on purpose, just to test him.

Luke couldn't help but close his eyes at the contact of her warm breath on his skin. He did everything he could to prevent it, but he shivered. Terrified, he glanced at Lorelai by the corner of his eyes.

She felt a slight, discrete but noticeable, wave under her fingers. A quiver ran through her entire body. Horrified, she caught Luke's eyes on her. They both quickly looked away and Lorelai took her hands off of Luke, the measuring tape falling on the floor. She turned away and leaned over the coffee table to write a number she had just made up because –she was embarrassed to even confess it to herself- she didn't remember seeing any number on the measuring tape.

_What was that?_

The silence was killing them, but neither could find anything to say. They both prayed for the phone to magically ring at that moment to make a distraction, but it didn't.

"Is this gonna take long? I've got a diner to run, you know, and I'm not a Barbie doll. Why do we need exact measurements, anyway? I'm a normal sized guy, just give me normal sized costumes, for Pete's sake!" Luke gruffly ranted.

_Is Luke babbling? That's a first..._

She took the measuring tape, which was at his feet and got up, rolling her eyes.

"Gimme five minutes, Darla," she said.

She looked at his chest thinking that if the arm-part was awkward, this one would definitely be worse.

"How many inches is your waist?" Lorelai asked, hopeful.

He looked down at her and said nothing.

"Okay, then," she gave up, "hold on..."

She put her arms around him to place the measuring tape. They were too close. She slid her hands on his side, following the tape, and took a step back. She couldn't look at his face, and that was a good thing since he couldn't look at her either because he really was concentrating so his body didn't _react._

"32 inches. Can you remember that?" she asked him, focusing on her hands.

He mechanically cleared his throat.

"32, got it."

He felt five again, needing to ask, "Are we there, yet?" as she lowered her hands to his hip. He clenched his fists.

She read the number and quickly stepped away to write the numbers down.

"I'm almost done," she said, more to herself than to Luke.

_Jeez, what is left to measure? _

She was about to freak out as she looked at his thighs. _I can't. I can't. I can't._

"Uhm... We have 2 options for this one," she explained. "I can do it myself and it will take us a month to get over it, or you can help me and we can have a beer after."

"I'll take the beer," he chose quickly.

She almost sighed in relief.

"Good. Hold this end, would you?" She handed him the tape.

"What are we measuring?" he asked, almost scared.

"..."

_Wait_, she told herself. _Make sure your voice sound casual._

"The inside of your legs. You have to hold the tape up... well, up to your... uhm... groin." _Way to go casual. That sounded really relaxed._

Luke didn't really notice how she had said it. This was so embarrassing. But he thanked God she didn't measure this one herself. There were limits to what a man could bare without having his body react uncontrollably. He tried to relax but his throat tightened as he watched the top of her head go down slowly, following her hands on his thigh and leg, down to his ankle. To Luke, it really looked like a weird kind of lap dance. And that's probably why he let out a nervous snort when she announced she was done.

"Want that beer now?" she proposed. She didn't wait for his answer and hurried to the kitchen.

Once alone, she threw her head back, looking at the ceiling and letting out a short breath. That was not supposed to happen. She was not supposed to react to Luke this way. And neither was Luke to her. She felt so stupid when she thought about how she was the one who proposed him doing the play. And the way she felt was all Luke's fault. Ever since he knew she had slept with Doug, he was always looking at her like she was naked. His eyes were constantly wandering over her body and she really felt like she had no clothes on. This was unfair. She was the one who usually had the power over him. When had she let things change?

She opened the refrigerator and saw there was only one bottle of beer left. She brought it to Luke who was now sitting on the sofa.

"Here," she said, handing it to him.

"Thanks."

She sat at the other end, almost on the arm of the couch.

"So," she started, "you'll have time to do the play even with the diner and everything?"

Luke only shrugged his shoulders. Lorelai really wished she had a beer too. That way she could play with the tag like Luke was doing.

Suddenly, they heard the kitchen door slamming open followed by a smoky-rough voice.

"SWEETIE!"

"Living room, Babette!" Lorelai shouted.

Still out of sight, Babette yelled, "Your magic powers over Luke succeeded once again! I will never truly understand how you can make him do whatever you want him to do. Imagine all the great sex you could have with him with those powers!"

When Babette arrived in the living room, panting, she didn't even seem embarrassed.

"Oh, hey, Luke!" she greeted.

Lorelai was trying not to laugh, looking at her feet, while Luke slightly waved at Babette.

"Good thing you are both here. Patty wanted me to tell you that she needs you two in a private coaching session tomorrow afternoon at 3," she started. "Oh! And, Lorelai, Patty changed her mind about the measurements. She says she doesn't have time for made-to-measure costumes now. He just has to tell her what size he wears."

Luke and Lorelai shared a dumbfounded look. Babette continued, "Okay, well, have fun you, love birds."

And she left by the side door.

"Of course. That was meant to happen," Lorelai told Luke, referring to Patty changing her mind too late.

Luke handed the beer to Lorelai.

"Do you want it? I have to go back to the diner if I wanna take part of the afternoon off."

"Oh, okay." Lorelai took the bottle, making sure their fingers didn't touch.

Luke got up, replaced his baseball cap and asked, "Can I borrow your script tonight? I'd like to read it a couple of times, you know..."

"Well, it won't be really useful since Miss Patty told me she wanted to edit it."

"Why?"

"She wants to take off all your lines because she has no trust in you," Lorelai replied, seriously.

Luke didn't buy it.

"She wants to edit the... kissing scenes. She probably thinks they're too much."

_They were okay with Doug but not with me?_ Luke didn't know if he had to be relieved or upset.

"Good," he said, upset.

She knew he would be relieved.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next afternoon, when Luke arrived at the studio, the door was closed and Lorelai wasn't there yet. He sat on the stairs. Why was he doing this? He hadn't even agreed to it. It was so not like him to sit outside, waiting for the opening of a dance studio to rehearse a play... He was about to laugh at himself when he saw Lorelai walking toward him. He checked his watch.

"You're late," he blamed her.

"You're annoying."

She sat next to him.

"Hi," she smiled up to him. "You nervous?"

_How does she know?_

"No," he lied. "Why would I be nervous?"

_Because I am?_ she thought.

"I dunno. You haven't done this kind of thing since you were in High School."

"I'm fine. _You_ look nervous."

"No, I look pretty," she rectified, tilting her head.

Luke rolled his eyes. The door behind them opened.

"There you are! I thought I had heard voices... We don't have all day, come on, let's get started!" Patty said.

Luke turned to Lorelai.

"I swear she wasn't there when I arrived."

They walked in. Patty was standing in front of the table, the lights were dimmed and there were 2 yoga mats on the floor. Neither Luke nor Lorelai knew what to do or where to stand. They didn't expect the studio to be so quiet and... scary. Miss Patty was jubilant.

"Okay," she almost whispered, "since you two never worked together as you're about to do for the next few weeks, I have a bunch of exercises for you to get comfortable. Lorelai, I know you did some of them already, but keep in mind that every partner is different."

Was she still talking about the play? Because that sounded extremely dirty. Luke was obviously freaked out by all this. Patty didn't bother.

"You can sit on the mats, I'm going to put some music and turn off the lights completely. You two just relax and do exactly what I tell you to do."

As she finished her little instructions, the studio went really dark. They had a hard time finding the mats but they both sat down and waited for Patty to tell them what to do. The music started. It was some kind of weird creepy piano music. They couldn't see each other at all. Lorelai moved and accidentally hit Luke's hand with hers.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"This is so weird. Did she make you do this with Doug?" he asked quietly.

"No." She looked around but didn't see anything. Not even her own hand when she put it up to her nose. "Luke..."

"Huh?"

"I think I'm invisible."

He chuckled. Miss Patty's voice rose from afar.

"It's important to stay quiet during this exercise. The only noise you're allowed to make are sounds of pleasure."

"What?" Lorelai murmured.

"Did she say pleasure?" Luke was scared now.

"Shhhh," Patty interrupted them. "Okay, now when you're ready, I want one of you to turn your back to the other and the other is going to massage you."

"Oh, Jeez..."

"No need to take off your shirts. Just feel the other, don't be afraid of his body, don't be ashamed of yours..."

Lorelai was fighting so hard not to laugh. To hide it, she turned around. Luke noticed it and sighed. Why did she have to be the first to get the massage? And why did he have to be the first to touch _the other_? He _was_ afraid of _the other_'s body, dammit. Afraid of what it could do to his.

Even if it was pitch black all around, she closed her eyes, waiting for Luke's hands on her. She shivered even before the contact occurred. And when it did, she jumped slightly.

He searched for her shoulders, really afraid to touch anything else. He found her bare neck and felt her tremble. His thumbs worked into her skin in a circular motion, his other fingers laying somewhere on her throat.

She took a deep breath. Her chest rose.

He closed his eyes and forced his fingers not to touch anything under her collarbones, although as he motioned toward her shoulders, his fingers brushed lower.

Lorelai fluttered and opened her eyes. This was an exercise to get more comfortable! It was _not_ going to work.

Luke moved to her back where her shirt was covering all her skin. He didn't notice how rough he was massaging.

"Ouch!" Lorelai yelped. "You think you can rub harder?"

"Lorelai," Patty warned, "is that the pleasure sound you make?"

As she heard Luke starting to laugh, she hit him on the thigh. Patty continued, "You don't need words to communicate. When you're an actor, you find other ways to express yourself. Now, switch roles."

_It's about time,_ Lorelai thought.

Her hands landed directly on his shoulders. She was going to get back at him for all those past few days when he made her feel like a teenager under hormonal disorder. She slowly slid her fingers under his flannel shirt and massaged right under his collarbones.

Luke clenched his teeth, repressing any sound that might have wanted to come out.

Since Luke didn't react, she moved up to his neck, her thumbs brushing just behind his ears. He lowered his head to give her easier access.

_How can he be so alright with this?_ She sighed angrily. He didn't wanna react, she was going to make him scream. And she pinched him on both sides of his waist, right where everyone's ticklish.

"Hey!" he yelled, sweeping away her hands.

Lorelai's evil grin stayed hidden in the dark.

They heard Patty sigh in discouragement.

"Okay, it's worse than I had expected..." she said to herself. "Let's move on to the next exercise." She gradually turned the lights back on and explained the next step.

"Lorelai, you remember the exercise you miserably failed; the one where you let yourself fall backwards in the man's strong arms?"

Lorelai closed her eyes, wincing. She hated that one.

"Everything is going to be fine, gorgeous. Today no one is here to watch you fail. You trust Luke, don't you?"

Lorelai looked at Luke. Yeah. She did trust him.

"You better not let me fall," she threatened him as she positioned herself in front of him.

Patty explained to Luke what he had to do and after a few seconds, they were waiting for Lorelai to decide to fall. She kept glancing behind her to make sure Luke really was ready. He was starting to get impatient.

"Come on, Lorelai. The floor isn't even that hard," he said.

She stayed in position, feeling his smirk on her back.

"Very funny..."

_Okay, Lorelai. If you don't get it right this time, Luke is going to make fun of you for a week. Let's go. 1... 2... 3..._

She let go. She might have screamed. And she fell for a really long time and freaked out until Luke caught her really close to the floor. He thought it was funny. As he helped her up, Lorelai turned to him and hit his chest over and over again.

"You scared me to death, you idiot! I trusted you and you scared me!"

"Did I catch you?" he cut her off.

She stopped hitting him.

"Yes... but you really scared me."

"I'm sorry. When it's my turn to fall, I'll let you do the same thing to me," he joked.

Lorelai smiled. Miss Patty continued the session, not even surprised that Lorelai had let herself fall back this time.

"Now, you will get up and stand at about one foot away from one another. You will stare into each other's eyes. You can't break eye contact."

They stood up and waited for Miss Patty's approval on their position before staring.

One foot really is close. Lorelai's heart was pounding and she was afraid Luke would see it in her eyes. Then, for a split second, Luke's eyes wandered over Lorelai's lips.

"Cheater..." she whispered. His gaze moved back to her eyes.

"How long are we supposed to do this?" Luke asked.

"As long as it takes for one of you to give up," she answered.

Lorelai replied, "But we really are great at this game. We could do this for days. We are stubborn and we practice every day..." She thought she was joking, but because of Luke's smile, she realized she was not.

They were still studying each other.

"Take a little step forward," Patty ordered.

Lorelai could feel his breath on her face. That's how close they were.

"Now, hold each other's hands."

Lorelai couldn't talk, she felt her heartbeats in her throat. Luke tried to grab her hands. She dodged so he would look away so they could stop this stupid exercise. It didn't work. Luke didn't flinch. And he tried again. This time, he grabbed her fingers and she slightly opened her mouth and he heard a little gasp.

She saw him look at her lips again.

"Stop cheating!" she begged loud enough so Patty would hear.

"Kids, kids!" she separated them. "You two are impossible!"

"Why are we even doing this, Miss Patty? I've known Luke for years! We don't need exercises to get to know each other."

"Oh, you two are fine when you are standing with a counter in between, but as soon as there's close proximity involved you are scared to death."

Luke snorted. Lorelai disagreed.

"That's not true!"

"You are so afraid of physical contact that you start bantering or joking or doing anything possible to break it. You need to get over that shyness. You need to open up to the other, accepting the physical attraction that's between you two."

Both Lorelai and Luke were too stunned to respond. Where was she getting all this crap!

"How are you supposed to act like two lovers when you can't even hold hands without laughing because you're too nervous? You know what could greatly improve the play?"

They remained silent, still unable to tell if she was kidding or if she really believed what was coming out of her mouth.

"You really should sleep together."

"Huh?"

Lorelai's head jerked toward Luke. Eyebrows frowned, they were both wondering if the other had heard the same thing.

"Have sex. That's your homework for the week. To break the uneasiness between the two of you." Patty left them alone and walked to the table.

"You're kidding, right?" Lorelai asked Patty who didn't answer.

"It worked with Doug..."

Luke couldn't believe he had just let this slip. Lorelai didn't look mad. Her shoulders dropped, she pursed her lips together and nodded slowly. She was clearly hurt. Luke looked down. He was a jerk.

Patty came back from the table with two scripts.

"Here. I spent all night editing them. You two are such an inspiration!"

"Thanks," Luke said, taking the sheets.

Lorelai took hers without a word.

"I'll see you two in a week, same time. I hope you'll know all your lines."

Luke waited for Miss Patty to turn away. But when she did, Lorelai was already outside.

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_How could he have said that?_

She wasn't spending her days thinking about Doug, but when she did think about him, she felt disgusted with herself. She felt weak and stupid. She felt guilty. And that made her even madder. She should _not_ feel guilty about it because it was _nothing_! But she couldn't help it. She felt like she had betrayed Luke and herself for something that wasn't even that good.

And for Luke to say something like this? _It worked with Doug_. What was that supposed to mean? Was she supposed to be hurt? Was she supposed to laugh? That was the biggest problem with Luke. She knew him by heart but she didn't really understand him. What was going on in his head? And why, WHY was she always analyzing him? Why couldn't she just take what he said with a grain of salt? Why did everything that came out of his mouth have to get to her this way? _GAHHHHHH._

And her stupid keys didn't want to unlock her stupid front door! Why were her stupid hands shaking? If she had been a man, she would have hit the stupid wall with her fist and made a stupid hole in it! She walked her way on the porch, sat on one of the chairs next to the side door and threw the new and kiss-proof stupid script on the stupid table.

_Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! Why did I have to react this way? Now Luke will think I'm upset, which I am, but he will ask me why I am upset and the truth is that I DON'T KNOW! Okay, calm down. Find a reason. Find something you can tell him. Find a believable explanation to your reaction... ... ... Man! How am I supposed to explain my reaction when I don't even know what he meant?_

_Okay, did he imply that I slept with Doug to improve my acting? Well, then maybe he's right. I did act during... hahahaha okay, that's not what he meant. Oh boy. Uhm... Did he mean that I didn't even know Doug when I slept with him? That's possible. Then I could say I am upset because... the truth hurts? No, maybe he was just reminding me that I slept with his best friend and lied to him about it in case I had forgotten. Can't he just get over it once and for all? Can't I just get over it too?_

She lowered her head on the table and rubbed her neck, eyes closed. She jumped when she heard footsteps on the porch.

"My massage wasn't effective?" Luke said.

"It was hardly called a massage." She knew her voice sounded cold. When she acted mad, she almost believed herself.

"I'm sorry." He sat down across from her.

"For the non-massage?"

"For what I said earlier."

"What did you say earlier?" Maybe he didn't remember what he had said and he was just apologizing because she looked upset.

"Lorelai..."

Or maybe he did remember. She sighed.

"You think I'm a slut?" _Whoa! Where did that come from? You know that's not what he meant at all!_

"No!"

"Then why would you say that?"

_I don't know!_

"I just don't like the fact that you and him..."

He couldn't even say it.

"But he's your best friend!"

"So what? I hate to think you did."

"Well, don't think about it!" _Do just like me._

"I'm just not comfortable with this, that's all."

"Why?"

"Same as with you and Nicole, I guess..."

Lorelai snorted. "Nicole was _hardly_ my best friend!"

"Well... that Chilton mom from the booster club, then. And she hardly even talked to you about me. How would you have felt if she had told you she had slept with me? With _details_!"

Lorelai thought about it. And she realized...

"We're so screwed up."

They stayed quiet, unsure if anything was resolved. Lorelai decided it was not.

"What details?"

"What do you mean, what details?"

"What did Doug actually told you?"

"You were there, you don't need a re-enactment."

"I wanna know what you know. I have the right to know."

"No."

"You just said that so you could make it rhyme."

"You don't want me to tell you what I know."

"He said you were impressed..." She looked at him in the eye.

"I was not!" he defended himself.

"Neither was I..." As soon as it came out, Lorelai put a hand over her mouth and repressed a laugh.

Luke looked away so he could smile.

"I'm sorry I made that promise to you, I shouldn't have. I just..."

"It's okay," he brushed off.

"It really was nothing," she felt the need to clarify. "I'm sure you had some one-night stands with women you don't even remember their last names..."

"I always remember the last names."

"So do I. Uhm..."

"Whitman."

"Thanks."

Feeling that the subject was now talked-out, Lorelai took the script.

"So... we have one week to learn our lines, huh?"

"Yup."

She opened it and went through the pages. Miss Patty had put post-its on the pages she had re-written... Lorelai looked at one of them.

"Oh, my God!"

"What?" Luke leaned over to see what she was looking at. He read...

"Oh."

They had always known Stars Hollow people were crazy. They just had never fully understood how much...

_**TBC**_

* * *

_**A.N.2** Please continue to let me know what's working and what's not. In next chapter, you'll read a real rehearsal... I really feel like ASP right now imagining your reaction to what's coming up! **insert evil laugh**_


	7. Pretend to Pretend Too

_**A.N. **Happy Thanksgiving American friends! Happy normal day everyone else! Here's chapter 7 just for you and Maddy. I hope this chapter's effective... ;) Have fun and feed me back! You amazed me with all your reviews for last chapter. I'm REALLY grateful! The downside is that now, I'm really addicted to your comments..._

_Thanks to Maddy for being my every day boost. See you in 3 weeks!_

_**Disclaimer:** When ASP doesn't want them anymore, she can give them to me. I'll take good care of them._

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Pretend to Pretend Too**

Lorelai didn't need two more seconds to jump off her chair, get the door open, fly to the living room and find the phone.

"You call her!" she bluntly ordered Luke, who had followed her, throwing the phone at him. "Speed dial number 9."

Taken by surprise, he nearly dropped it.

"Why would _I_ call her?"

"Because!"

"Oh, good reason, okay then..." he replied, handing it back to her.

She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head.

"Lorelai..." he almost pleaded.

"I can't! She's gonna take that tone that I hate and I'm gonna end up wondering why I'm upset!"

"Why are you upset?" he tested her.

"Did you read the same thing I did!"

"I can't call her! You know how I am with people..."

"Exactly! With that rough, angry, scary tone of yours, I bet you can scream her out of it."

Luke remained silent and shifted on his feet.

_Unbelievable!_

Lorelai gasped, "Are you thinking what I think you're thinking!"

"Well... it's not _that_ bad..."

Shocked, Lorelai stared at him.

"Okay, enough! May I speak to Luke Danes, please?"

"Alright! Alright, I'll call her," he capitulated.

He turned his back and went upstairs.

"Where are you going?" she asked, following him.

He entered the bathroom, put a hand on the knob and looked at her.

"You don't want to call her? You don't get to hear the conversation." And with that, he closed and locked the door.

He waited for her to stop banging and yelling, and finally speed dialled number 9.

Lorelai had never been more shaken in her entire life. She considered herself as traumatized for the moment. They had to get out of this. She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall trying that Zen respiration thing that Rory had taught her when she was eight. Funny how you remember little things so clearly after a shocking experience... Life really flashed before your eyes.

_Breathe innnnnn. Keeeeeeep. Breathe ouuuuut. Mom, you can't talk during the keeping part!_

_Breathe innnnn. _She couldn't hear Luke yelling so that probably meant the conversation was going better than expected. _Breathe ouuuuuut._ _Breathe innnnn._ She had complete trust in Luke. He would fix this. After all, there was a... _Breathe ouuuut_... reason she had let herself fall for hi... WITH him. With, with, with. _Breathe innnn_...

The bathroom door opened slowly. Lorelai stood in front of Luke and eagerly asked, "What'd she say?"

"You want the exact quote?"

"With the voice, too."

"Well, handsome, less dialogues to learn!"

_Choke out. _

"That's it?"

"Pretty much." He rubbed his neck.

"Did you ask her what was wrong with the original version?"

"No."

"Did you ask her if _we_ could edit it?"

"No."

"Did you ask her if she was crazy?"

"No."

"What _did_ you tell her!"

"Miss Patty? Luke. About the script."

_Oh, my GOD._

"Why didn't you let _me_ call her!"

She stole the phone from him and dialled as she walked to her bedroom. She paced around as it rang.

Luke stood in the doorway, glancing around, making sure not to focus on the unmade bed, which still seemed warm. The room smelt like Lorelai... in a disturbing and arousing way. She was now facing one of the windows. He spotted a delicate red thong on the chair, and his gaze slid from it to Lorelai. Her long legs perfectly clear through her tight jeans, her thighs... He swallowed the lump blocking his throat and imperceptibly blurted out, "I... uhm... downstairs."

As it rang for the 25th time, Lorelai understood through her anger that Patty was not going to pick up.

"She knows it's me. She has a telepathic caller I.D.!" Lorelai said, turning to Luke. Well, to the door since he had disappeared.

"Luke?"

She looked around, then headed downstairs. She saw him in the living room.

"There you are. Did my messy bedroom make you leave?" she joked.

"You know, your bedroom is really messy!" he stated. Apparently, he hadn't heard what she had just said.

"Right..."

He looked a little pale. Concerned, Lorelai approached him.

"Are you okay?"

"What... what are we gonna do about it?"

"Well, don't get yourself sick over this. I'll take care of it," she promised. "I'm gonna go talk to her right now. I'll stop by the diner right after."

Luke nodded, fighting to look Lorelai in the eye.

"Good. I'll... see you then."

"Don't forget your script outside," she reminded him.

"Yeah... that would be horrible," he grunted.

When he left, it took a few minutes for Lorelai to gather her thoughts and come up with a guideline of things to tell Miss Patty.

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Lorelai made sure not to knock so that Miss Patty wouldn't be able to pretend she wasn't there. She entered the studio and interrupted a five-year-old girls ballet class. All the little pink tutus were now staring at her like she was a witch or a monster... which Lorelai could understand since there was probably thick, dark, anger smoke coming out of her ears.

"Lorelaiiiiii!" Patty greeted. She was about to say something else when _Lorelaiiiiii_ cut her off.

"Miss Patty, can we talk somewhere more... legal? Apparently, even the talk of the new script doesn't suit as PG-13 anymore."

Lorelai didn't understand the nature of the grin on Patty's face. The teacher turned to her students.

"Girls, I have to step out for a second. Now, you repeat what we've just seen. When I come back, I don't wanna see anyone naked!"

"Well, at least we know little girls are safe..." Lorelai mumbled.

If Patty heard that, she didn't make it clear. She just slid the doors almost shut and smiled to Lorelai.

"I guess you've read the changes I've made."

"_Changes_! You re-wrote the whole thing!"

"Now, don't be over reacting... I edited only two scenes. Little, tiny changes."

"Little, tiny... Patty!"

"Thank you," she put in.

"Patty!" Lorelai repeated. "Are you trying to make this a porn-play or something?"

"Oh, silly!"

"It's too much! Even Pamela Anderson wouldn't star in that."

"Of course not. There's not even nudity!"

"Oh! Uhm..." Lorelai took the new script she had brought and went through the pages where she found one of the last scenes. The one she had rehearsed with Luke once... but not really the same. "Here. Maybe the nudity is only in my head? Or maybe all of this is a simple spelling mistake?" She handed the sheets to Patty and waited for an explanation.

"I don't see the problem..." Patty said to herself.

Lorelai took the script again, resisting the urge to rip it, and said, "The original version was, and I quote, '_Kyle lifts Sara's chin and leans in to kiss her as she says "Please... go...". Kyle kisses Sara tentatively and she hesitates before kissing him back...' _Now, see, that was short and sweet and cute and it was already a big deal. Now I have to take my shirt off!"

"Luke has to take your shirt off."

"Luke doesn't want to take my shirt off!" she nearly screamed and she caught a glimpse of people on the street turning to her.

Patty stared at Lorelai, thinking, _I've just discovered the true meaning of the word blindfolded._

Lorelai continued on the same desperate, incredulous tone, "And taking a shirt off, that's called nudity!"

"I thought you'd keep your bra. Or you can put a bikini top on if it makes you feel better. And by the stage direction, you can tell you're turning your back to the crowd..."

She yelled this time. For real. "Which means I'm facing LUKE!"

"So?"

Oh, my God. Patty was good at this game.

"So! We're not _trained_ for this! We are normal people with normal jobs, we're not actors and we can't do this. We can't."

"Are you talking for Luke also?"

"No, for me and my other personality. YES, I'm speaking for Luke!"

"I don't think he'll have a problem with it..." Patty refrained the urge she had to wink. It would probably have been too much for Lorelai to bear.

"Can you really picture Luke Danes undressing a woman on a STAGE..."

"Oooooh, yes..."

"... you'll lose your male lead. He'll back out of it. Luke's the most timid man I know. He'd be way too embarrassed to even tie his shoe on a stage!"

"And yet he agreed to be in the play he knew to be for adults only, even after he helped you out in your kitchen with that certain scene 24 which means he knew there was some kissing involved?"

Lorelai blinked. _What...why...when...how...you mean..._

"How do you know about that scene 24 rehearsal?"

"I think Luke's okay with this. More than you think. I think you need to relax and enjoy it. Take it as a challenge, you're great with challenges. It's a one in a lifetime opportunity."

Lorelai had to admit that it made sense. Patty was still talking.

"Now, go home, take a long bath and learn your lines. I'll see you in a week."

And Patty was off. Lorelai suddenly remembered her mission.

"What about the other scene you've changed! Miss Patty!"

The classical music had restarted... Classic.

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As soon as he saw Lorelai's face when she came into the diner, Luke knew she hadn't succeeded either.

"We'll have to go on strike," she said, sitting on a stool, right in front of him. She cradled her face in her hands, and then looked at Luke between her fingers.

"What do we do?" she asked, imploring for an idea. Nobody could force them to kiss, right?

She really looked devastated... _She obviously doesn't want this to happen. How could I have been stupid enough to think that maybe, somewhere in the back of her mind, she wanted to?_

"We have to figure something out," Luke said. "This is ridiculous. The whole concept of this is ridiculous. It's completely..."

"Ridiculous, I get it, Luke."

_Whoa. Miss Patty couldn't have been more wrong. Luke doesn't want to act. Luke _does_ mind the new script. Luke doesn't wanna kiss me at all. _She studied his features as he reached for a cloth. She unconsciously and discretely brought her fingers to her lips as she watched his mouth speak.

"Maybe we should still learn our lines... until we find a solution."

Lorelai frowned. _A second ago, he said this was ridiculous and now he still wants to be in the play? Luke's bipolar._

"Right. We'll find a solution."

Maybe they hadn't realized it, but they both had more than accepted the situation. They weren't going to find any solution. Not to this problem, anyway...

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Over the next days, they didn't talk of the play at all. They were constantly thinking about it, but since they thought the other didn't care, they didn't bring it up. And it was way easier to be around each other without having to deal with the inevitable upcoming dreaded proximity. It was now Friday, the last evening before Miss Patty's first real rehearsal, and Lorelai was already hyperventilating.

Never in a million years would she have believed that one day, she'd be quietly sitting at the diner, staring at her pancakes, forgetting to drink her coffee, and just repeating a script over and over again in her head. She didn't quite get why she was so committed to this project... Well, she_ felt_ why but she never would have verbalized it, even only to herself. Especially to herself.

She didn't sleep much the night before. She had read the entire play six times and she felt like Kirk; she knew everyone's lines. She tried not to think about Luke when reading her parts out loud... Especially at night. She really tried to block her mind, but every time she got to the "Patty's-scenes", she couldn't help herself. She imagined him. When she understood that the Luke in her mind wouldn't go away, she thought it would be less disturbing to imagine him with a _blond_ Sara... Ha. That didn't work either. The idea of Luke talking in Kyle's way and doing all these things to another woman –even if this woman didn't even exist- was troubling her. So she had settled for an image of Luke-Kyle and her. The problem was that the Kyle she had created in her head really was Luke, not a character. And it was giving her major sleeping problems... Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Luke's perfect hands roaming on her shivering body. And the "Patty's-scenes" gradually transformed into "Lorelai's-scenes"... She had woken up two days ago with all the sheets on the floor, clutching one of her pillow, sweating and trembling and panting and still feeling a burning desire between her thighs. She was going to kill Miss Patty.

Lorelai reached for the coffee cup. It was cold. Still watching her pancakes –it really helped her recite her lines to herself- she raised it above her head, and waited for Luke to replace it. When she felt her arm starting to get numb, Lorelai realized he wasn't there. She waited some more for him to come out of the kitchen. Finally, the patience exhausted her and she got up.

"Cesar, where's my coffee supplier?"

"I don't know but if you see him, don't tell him I don't know where he is because he told me where he was going but I forgot..."

Lorelai promised and went behind the counter to pour herself a cup.

"Luuuuuuke! I'm behind the counter and I didn't wash my hands first!"

No answer, just weird looks from the customers.

"Luke?"

Nothing.

"Come on and yell at me! We hadn't had a fight in days and I'm extremely bored."

Still no Luke. Curious, she headed to the stairs. When she passed in front of the storage room, she noticed the door was slightly open. She knew he was there. She entered quietly, wanting to scare him...

As soon as she saw him, she was the one who jumped. Taken aback at first, she wondered if she should leave... She approached him slowly. She smiled and tilted her head to see him in a better angle.

Luke was asleep. He was sitting on some box, and his arms, resting on his script on a little table, supported his head. He was breathing steadily and kind of loudly. Lorelai bit her lips so her laughter wouldn't wake him up.

She crouched down next to him. She had never felt freer to look at him. Her eyes could wander from his forehead to his lips; she could focus on his square jaw. Her fingers were burning to touch his skin. She looked at his ear. She had never looked at his ear before. She searched in vain for a flaw on his face. No one was allowed to look so sexy while sleeping. She swore she would never tell anyone what she was stalkerly doing right now.

Luke's lips parted a little and he sighed deeply.

Lorelai held her breath, her heart beating as fast as it could without jumping out of her chest. _Come on, Lorelai! If watching Luke sleep makes you wanna die how do you think you'll handle the scenes with him? You'll be even closer to him then. And he will be looking at you right in the eye. It will be like a combination of everything that makes you nervous around Luke intensified by stress, spectators and stage light. _Wanting to prove to herself that she was not that weak, she decided to do a test. After all she wasn't risking anything since he was completely asleep.

Biting her bottom lip harder, she nervously and slowly brought her face closer to his. She knew she had to be careful not to breathe too loudly because the sound or the feeling of it on his skin could wake him up. Her mouth suddenly went dry as her eyes ended up on his lips. She took a wobbly gulp of air and forced herself to stay this close.

When he sighed again, he moaned something. The sound directly went through her ear which was unusually close, and her heart sank into her stomach. Unable to bear this tension, she got up and pressured her temples with her fingers.

_You are sick, Gilmore. Just plain sick. You just had the most intense, sensual experience of your life with someone who's not even conscious. Sick. How would you feel if you woke up one day and Luke would be doing this with you, huh? You'd be scared,_ she thought. Then she corrected herself. _No, you'd jump him. NOT funny. Stop trying to make yourself laugh, it's not the time or place. Okay. So, are you ashamed of yourself, at least? Oh, my God! You wanna do it again! Okay, stop. Now... I said STOP!_

"Luke..." she whispered.

He just turned his head away from her. She crouched down again and poked his shoulder.

"Luuuuke... wake up."

"Uhm," he grunted.

"You're in the storage room, Luke. You're sleeping with the food, it's not sanitary."

Luke stirred, eyes still closed. He sat up and he blinked, clearly confused.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in a deep, sleepy, hoarse voice.

Uncomfortable, Lorelai motioned to the shelves and looked around.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

He thought for a second, then remembered. He took the script and got up.

"Well, I really needed to learn my lines for tomorrow and I needed someplace quiet."

"And you choose the storage room over your apartment?"

He shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't awake enough to remember the logical reason that had brought him in here.

Lorelai picked up a pickle jar and showed it to him.

"You needed an audience to rehearse?"

Luke chuckled. "They were very receptive to my performance."

"Did you make out with the potatoes?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Lorelai!"

"What? Nothing to be ashamed of. It happens to all of us..."

She smiled. Since he had woken up, the room felt smaller. Walking to the door, she turned to him. "I need coffee. Better be hot."

"Who, me?" Clearly, he was still sleeping.

"Yeah..." she teased him. "Make it quick!" she added, going back to the diner.

"I thought women liked it slow..." he joked to himself. She was too far to hear it anyway.

"I heard that!" she yelled through the walls.

_Jeez._

A few minutes later, Luke was back behind the counter. He saw that Lorelai already had a cup of _hot_ coffee.

"Why did you complain about the pace of the service? You already have coffee!"

"Well, when I don't get it from someone else quick enough, I like to give it to myself..."

_STOP RIGHT THERE!_ _REWIND... WHAT DID YOU SAY?_

Lorelai's brain went black. Really embarrassed, and stunned by the sound of her sentence, she looked up at Luke, mouth open, wide-eyed.

Luke nearly had a stroke. In the history of Lorelai's dirty comments, this one was way over the top.

They both stared at each other, still shaken. Lorelai recovered her voice first.

"Whoa. Uhm... For the first time in my life, I really didn't intend to be dirty and I was. Weren't I? I swear, I didn't mean _that_. I meant..."

"I know what you meant."

"Yeah."

They both stayed silent. Why was this comment worse than any other thing she had said before? Surely because they both had been more sexually challenged than usual. And it had been almost a week since they had really talked.

Lorelai took a deep breath. She had to change the subject, make it safer. She decided to talk about...

"It's because of Miss Patty!"

Why had she said that? She didn't want to talk about this.

"What is?" Luke asked.

"I think that because of the new script, we focus on... the dirty stuff."

_Maybe,_ Luke thought.

"I don't focus on the dirty stuff, you're the one who said that."

"Oh, come one, Luke! I heard you make that dirty comment in the storage room!"

"You brought up the potatoes first!" he defended himself.

"This has nothing to do with the potatoes!"

"Of course it does, you asked me if I had made out with them."

"See?" she accused him. "You're focusing on the dirty stuff!"

_It's impossible to argue with her._

_Gahh. He's so stubborn! Why can't he admit that he's thinking about dirty stuff, too? I'm sure I'm not alone. I'm not. Am I?_

A few silent seconds later, Luke asked, "Do you remember what time we have to rehearse tomorrow?"

She would have yelled at Luke right then. She didn't want to hear about it.

"Uhm... isn't it at 3?"

"Okay."

Luke was staring at the cloth on the counter. "Maybe we should get together tonight, just to say our lines. You know... Because if we don't Miss Patty will probably notice and she's gonna make us do more weird exercises."

Luke was right. Maybe they could just recite their lines, just to make sure they really had it down.

"Sure. My place?"

"I'll be there at 9."

Okay. It was settled. They'd rehearse only the text right?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was only going to be a reading, she knew that, but she still felt extremely nervous. And when the door bell rang, she couldn't find the courage to get up and open the door. She just dug herself in the sofa and yelled for him to come in. Good thing the TV was on or else, she would have looked really stupid.

He walked to the couch as she scooted over to give him space to sit.

"Sorry I'm late," he said.

"It's okay. I hate when you're on time anyway."

Okay, small talk over.

"Sooo..." She looked at him. "How do we proceed?"

"Well, I thought we could just say our lines."

"I know, I mean," She turned off the TV, "do we do the whole script or only the scenes we have in common or the ones with only you and me in them?"

Since the next day was just the two of them and Miss Patty, they decided to go with the strict minimum: the scenes where they were alone.

"Okay, now... Uhm... Do we _act_ the lines or just spit them out?" she asked.

This was getting too real for her.

"Maybe no emotion would be best."

"No emotion," she repeated to herself. "I like that. Okay..."

"So in the first one, you talk first."

Luke's knee brushed hers. She got up.

"Want a beer first?"

"Sure."

_No emotion, Lorelai. No emotion._

The first couple of scenes were easy. They were only bantering and hating each other, which, with no emotion, quickened the pace. But when they got to the first Miss Patty's scene, Lorelai wished she was drunk. She spoke first.

"_Mister McMahon wants the Jenkins' file on his desk first thing tomorrow._"

"_I know, I was at the meeting too. Is this the only reason you came in here, to tell me this?_"

"_Yes._"

"_No. You could have called me instead._"

"_Well, why else would I be in here? To talk about how stupid your girlfriend looked at the party?_"

"_I think you came in here because you want me._"

"_I don't want you. You're not my type. You've never been._"

"_Not your type, huh?_"

"_Not my..._"

Lorelai had read that scene so many times, she knew Luke-Kyle was supposed to walk towards her. And then...

"Okay, now do these little... sounds... count as lines? Because, it will be really weird with no emotion," Lorelai tried to laugh to lighten up the tension she had probably created herself.

"Well, no. But the last one does..." Luke pointed out.

_Ah. He's kidding me, right?_

"You're serious? I have to say it now?"

"Aren't we rehearsing?"

_Hardly._

"Okay, fine." _No emotion, Lorelai. If you put any kind of emotion in it, you better shoot yourself right after. _

She looked at him in the eye and hoped she'd sound neutral.

"_I want you. Take me now. _There. Happy?_"_

That last line was the most difficult thing Lorelai ever had to do. In front of Luke, that is. It had been such a weird day, a weird week, she couldn't even remember how it was between them before she had come into the diner one day, so enthusiastic about the play... If only she'd known.

Luke laughed to hide his uneasiness. By asking her to say this last line, he had tested himself. Was he going to react to this when Lorelai would say it, even without any emotion? Dear, God, Yes.

"What's so funny?" she asked, even more nervous.

"I just can't wait to see how you'll say it when we present the show."

She had no idea how true this statement was. He couldn't wait to see if he'd survive.

"Oh, you just wait. I'll kick ass!"

"I know that..."

They both opened their scripts at the same time. They were not hiding from each other, of course not... They were just searching for the next scene. And the next scene was the exact same one they had rehearsed quite a while ago. Well, the dialogues were. And since they were focusing on the dialogues tonight, they didn't really have to bother with the stage directions...

There was something about reading all those "Patty's" description to themselves in front of each other... They both shifted in their seats. The thing was, they were so wrapped up in their own inner feelings, they hadn't realized the other was as nervous as they were.

When they were done, Lorelai was so relieved, she finished her beer in one big gulp. She almost spit it all out when Luke said, "I don't wanna get back to the whole kissing-practice issue we had with that same scene, but maybe we should do it once before the show... You know, to get it over with."

"Do _it_? You mean... like Patty said?" Was Luke suggesting they'd had sex? Right now!

_Ah Jeez? Here goes the focus again..._

"No! No, I mean... the whole scene. With the kiss."

"Oh, hum..." _Fast, Lorelai! Think fast!_ "Don't you think it'd be a better idea if we do _it_ onstage, live, for the first time?"

Realizing how dirty she was sounding again, Lorelai added, "This is such a weird conversation!"

"Listen... not that I care, because obviously, I don't, but the kiss needs to be great."

_Not that again!_

"I _AM_ a great kisser!"

"It needs to be great," he repeated. "Now... honestly, how many perfect first kisses did you get in your life?"

A first kiss is hardly ever perfect. Awkward? Yes. Nice? Sure. Perfect? Nope. She stayed quiet, trying to come up with something to prevent this. She really wanted to. That's why she needed it NOT to happen.

She just made a face, kind of wincing.

"Is the idea of kissing me _that_ bad?"

_Luke, you have noooo idea._

"No, of course not. We've been friends for a decade now. Kissing won't be weird at all." She looked at him in the eye, hoping he'd catch the sarcasm.

"I know, I'm not saying I _want_ to kiss, I'm just saying that maybe once we've done it, it would be less awkward."

_Point taken, brother. Oh, my God. Am I about to agree? _

Her heart was now incontrollable. He wasn't feeling much more Zen himself.

"Okay."

_Take that back, Lorelai! Take it back! You taste like coffee! He hates coffee!_

Since it was Luke's idea, she waited for him to explain how this kissing practice was going to be... but he was looking at her in a weird way, so she figured he was waiting for her to take over. After all, he knew she loved to be on top. _Man._

"Well... uhm... Do we kiss like... here and now or do we do the scene with the kiss?"

"The scene, I guess. It's the characters' kiss after all."

_No emotion. It's the characters' kiss._

"Right... Just the kiss, right? We don't do all the new Patty-Rated-R stuff, do we?"

He nodded. "Just the kiss." He needed to breathe but he didn't remember how.

They walked to the kitchen to do the scene like they had done it the first time and he got into Rory's bedroom where he closed his eyes and tried to catch his breath.

If he was waiting for her to tell her she was ready before knocking on the door, he was going to wait for a really long time. She wouldn't be ready in another 10 years. She looked at her lines one last time, threw the script on the table and stared at the door. Rory's respiration technique was not effective.

_This is only a kiss, Lorelai. You've been kissed before. And it's not even you. It's Sara... Okay, well, go get her because if Lorelai gets the kiss and not Sara, it's gonna be such a mess around here..._

Okay, now she was just thinking like a schizophrenic. _Breathe innnn... Keeeeeep...Brea..._

_Knock, knock, knock._

She licked her lips, felt them trembling already, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and opened the door.

_Aw, man. That's not Kyle, that's Luke. _

_Don't think about the kiss, Danes. Just go on with your lines and go with the flow._

_Lorelai, go with the flow or you'll drown._

"_What are you doing here?"_ She asked. Her voice was all shaky. She was sure he noticed it.

"_We need to talk."_

"_I don't have anything to say to you, Kyle."_ She let him in anyway.

With a harsh, accusing tone, he said, "_So you're just going to leave without a word? After all we've been through?_"

Lorelai had forgotten how good of an actor Luke actually was. She breathed in, feeling her throat getting tighter.

"_What do you want from me?_" she said in a high pitched tone. "_All of this was a mistake, you said it yourself. You want me to beg you? Is that it? Huh?_"

Luke was staring into her eyes with so much intensity, she felt small and weak. Her eyes welled up, maybe because she was a good actress, but mostly because she was really scared. He continued to walk towards her until her back hit the wall.

"_You can't leave,_" he said, low.

"_You should go,_" she whispered. She was really uncomfortable. On the verge of tears, squeezed between a wall and Luke. "_I mean it, get away from me._" Oh yes, she meant it. She was not ready and she was having a heart attack. Couldn't he wait?

This was it... Luke thought Lorelai looked really into her character. She really did look scared.

He unsuccessfully tried to stop his fingers from shaking and he lifted her chin. Luke's fingers on her chin were warm and tender. She thought he was trembling, but she understood that it was her. She felt his breath on her face and slightly batted her eyelashes, unconsciously lifting her chin. Her knees went weak. Luke leaned in.

"Wait!" She put a hand on his chest. Luke stepped away, clearing his throat. Was he ever going to find the courage to do this again?

"I had one last line before..." she explained.

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"Okay... start with "_you should leave_" or whatever."

This extra time gave her the opportunity to relax... which she didn't use.

"_You should go. I mean it, get away from me._"

Luke managed to make her feel the exact same way as before. But maybe she was ready now.

"_Please... Go,_" she murmured. Oh, yeah. She was ready now. Luke could lean in.

Luke heard the line and felt as if she was directly speaking to him, begging him to kiss her. And he snapped out of it. He was taking this stupid kiss way too seriously. He stepped away again.

"What?" Lorelai asked. She might have been a little frustrated.

"I'm sorry. I... I keep forgetting what I have to do."

Lorelai thought, biting her bottom lip. They had to get rid of this tension right now or the next few days would be unbearable.

"Maybe we could... just kiss. No scene."

"You mean, you and me?"

"I could call Miss Patty, I'm sure she'd like to pitch in..."

Luke laughed. Lorelai smiled at the sound.

"Okay..."he started. "Uhm... like... here and now or..."

_Whoa._

"We could go in the living room..."

He followed her, feeling twelve.

She licked her lips again, turning to him. Luke asked, "You kiss me, or I kiss you?"

The awkwardness of the moment hit her right then. Luke and she were talking about how they were going to kiss.

"Uhm..." She played with her hands. "You kiss me. Cause, you know, in the play..."

"Right."

"Mmkay."

They both let out a sigh at the same time, noticed it, and laughed.

"Luke, are you nervous?"

He saw in her pleading eyes that she was too. So he didn't lie.

"Yeah. Kind of. A little."

She nodded.

"Yeah. Okay."

He adjusted his cap once again. And he searched for her eyes. She was looking at his shirt, breathing heavily. He put an hesitating hand on her hip and lightly pressured for her to come closer. She stumbled a little, blushed, closed her eyes and smiled, shaking her head.

She finally lifted her chin and met his eyes. Her smile turned into waiting, parted lips. His hand now on her waist was almost imperceptible and she wanted him to really hold her.

_Please do it before I faint..._

"Mom! I'm home!"

Rory's voice was followed by a shutting door and two bodies jerking away from one another.

Lorelai turned to Rory. "What are you doing here?"

"You have a washing machine. Hey, Luke!"

Rory flew in her bedroom to put down her bags.

Lorelai stared at her feet, heart still pounding, and shook her head again. She timidly looked at Luke was picking up his script off the coffee table.

He looked up at her, embarrassed. It was like Rory had interrupted a real kiss, which she was not. Right?

Neither of them could speak. Lorelai, because she didn't want Luke to see how badly she wanted that kiss; Luke, because he didn't want Lorelai to know this was real to him.

"Uhm... Well, it's late. I'll see you tomorrow," he platonically said.

"What about..."

_Don't make me say it._

They really believed it would help break the ice before the show. Or they pretended to really well.

"We could meet at Miss Patty's an hour before the rehearsal, we'd have to studio to ourselves."

_A whole hour!_

"Good," she replied, thanking God she had repressed the "can't wait" that almost had came out.

He waved and ran away.

She was going to get kissed by Luke. Tomorrow. Already feeling her stomach filling with butterflies, she wished she was fourteen, so she'd still have a diary. This moment would have made a damn good entry. No emotion? Ha.

* * *

_**A.N.2. **So? Want some more? In next chapter you can count on Miss Patty ;) oooh yeah!_


	8. Get Your Act Together

_**A.N. **Seriously, I'd never thought I would, one day, take as long as Maddy to update... but I did and I'm sorry. I hope the chapter's worth it..._

_Thanks to all our reviewers:) Seriously,you don't know how much we love you! You keep us from stopping the fic when it gets tougher to write. You're essential to this story. I don't know how to say it so you believe me..._

_Oh! And: I'm totally open to any kind of reviews. I'm totally fine with **bad** ones as long as you tell me reasons... **PLEASE**, whoever you are, next time you leave a harsh review, just let me know why _"This whole damn thing sucks!"._ Thanks:)_

_**Disclaimer** I'm not on crack. Gilmore Girls aren't mine. _

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Get Your Act Together**

Lorelai looked one last time at the foyer where Luke had disappeared a few seconds ago. She didn't quite understand what had just happened. But something did. And it wasn't supposed to. She was used to all the bantering; she could deal with the irrational jealousy and the occasional flirting because she had almost ten years of practice and it was only in her mind. But this was all overwhelmingly taking over her body, and her head couldn't catch up.

Suddenly, she realized she was not asleep and still standing in the living room. Of course she was awake! If this had been a dream, they wouldn't have been interrupted and her breast would have been bigger.

She didn't hate Rory; she was her beloved daughter, it would have been impossible for Lorelai to even think about hating her. She did, however, hate her washing machine. Stupid invention! If she didn't own one, her daughter wouldn't have come home so early.

With her legs still slightly unsteady, she managed to reach the kitchen.

"So, Rory, did I know you were coming home this weekend?" Lorelai asked, trying not to sound harsh. After all, it wasn't Rory's fault that clothes couldn't magically get clean on their own... or if her timing really sucked.

"Do I need a written invitation to come home now?" Rory laughed.

Lorelai's fingers played with a chip of paint on the bedroom door frame.

"Not yet, no," she smiled uneasily. "It's just... you should have called me before. You know, what if we had been out of soap or something?"

"Well, I didn't come home only for the soap... Aren't you glad to see me? It's been a few weeks since the last time I slept over."

"Of course I'm happy to see you!" _Oh, my God! Why do I have to sound so horrible to her? _"I'm just saying... you know... what if I hadn't been home?"

"I still have a key..."

"Or what if I had been naked?"

"With Luke in the house?" Rory joked.

_Oh, Kid, you have nooo idea... Whoa! Lorelai Gilmore, stop that! This was a rehearsal kiss; a fake kiss; a forced kiss... and it didn't even happen. _

"What was Luke doing here anyway?" Rory said, emptying her bag on the floor.

"Nothing!"

She had answered a little too quickly.

"Nothing? He came over for no reason at all?"

"Well, of course he had a reason..."

"Which was...?"

"He... just... doesn't matter. So! Laundry, huh? Exciting stuff."

"Mom..."

God, she hated that tone Rory took. Lorelai sighed and turned around.

"Do you think you can throw some of my clothes with yours?"

"Mom!"

_Oy, that tone again_!

"Ok! Never mind! I'll buy new clothes instead..."

Rory walked up to her mom, put both of her hands on her shoulders and forced her to face her.

Lorelai couldn't help the guilty look on her face. She bit her bottom lip, unable to look her own daughter in the eye. She couldn't tell her the reason of Luke's presence, could she?

"Mom..."

Lorelai closed her eyes and blurted it out.

"He came over to rehearse."

Rory let go of Lorelai and burst into a short laugh.

"The real reason now, please."

"It is the truth!"

Rory went back to her room with Lorelai following her.

"I can't believe you'd lie to your own daughter."

"I'm not lying! He came over to rehearse!"

Rory raised an eyebrow.

"And what on earth would Luke Danes rehearse for?" she laughed. "An opera? An acceptance speech? Ooooh, no, wait! Maybe it was for a play!"

Rory couldn't stop giggling, but when she realized her mother had her serious face on, she cooled down.

_Here it is._

"We are the leads in that play Miss Patty's directing. There. I said it."

"You're in the All-Adults-Night play!" Rory tried really hard not to laugh in her mother's face again. Maybe she didn't try hard enough.

"Hey! Don't you dare laugh at me! I can act, you know. I did a fine job playing Tavia in the Stars Hollow Community Theater production of Fiddler on the Roof."

"Which was like 10 years ago..."

"So?"

"I'm sorry I laughed, I was just... in shock. You and Luke on a stage for an adult's play? Directed by Miss Patty?"

"What's your point?"

"Well, I'm sure the costumes department didn't have a lot of work... Can I see the script?"

Lorelai slightly jumped. _Where did I put it? Oooooh, she can NOT read it._

"Uhm..."

Rory continued.

"Oh, never mind. I want to be spoiler-free. When's the premiere?"

"In 9 days, but you can't attend the play. You're not 21."

"Look at her, crossing the days off the calendar!"

Lorelai's freezing stare made Rory realized she'd push the button too far. She rolled her eyes.

"Fine, changing the subject now. Are you free tomorrow afternoon? I thought we could go shopping and hit a movie or something..."

_Tomorrow afternoon... Rehearsal... Maybe I could blow it off. Yeah. So, you wanna see a movie or you wanna kiss Luke? Tough._

"I can't tomorrow afternoon. But tomorrow night's good."

"Why? What do you have to do in the afternoon?"

Since when did the word 'afternoon' make her stomach crazy?

"I... need to... check the Inn. For inspectors. Health. Food poisoning check up or something like that..."

Rory nodded.

"So, you have another rehearsal, huh?" she clarified.

Lorelai turned around and filled the coffee pot with water.

"Yeah."

"Okay, then. I'll come and watch you."

Thinking it was settled, Rory went back into her bedroom and started sorting her clothes by color.

Lorelai nearly dropped the coffee pot. The water splashed on her shirt a little and she let out a surprised scream.

"Ohh!"

Rory's head appeared in the door frame.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Something in the water tried to attack me."

"Ooookay..."

Rory disappeared again. Lorelai finished the coffee, trying to picture Rory watching her in Miss Patty's studio... In one quick move, she was in Rory's bedroom.

"I'm sorry, you can't watch the rehearsal."

"Why not?"

"Because... if you see it, then everyone will want to see it, and Miss Patty wants to keep the surprise for the premiere."

"Miss Patty won't mind! I can keep a secret. Why don't you want me to be there?"

"I want you to be there, honey! You know I want you to be everywhere I am. We're like the Olsen twins, even creepier, but no one's allowed to see a rehearsal. We signed a bunch of secrecy papers when we got the script. Ask Kirk."

"Why don't you want me to be there?" Rory repeated.

_Because I don't want my first kiss with Luke to be in front of my daughter?_

"Remember in 11th grade when you rehearsed _Romeo and Juliet_ in Stars Hollow for Chilton? You didn't want Dean to be there either," Lorelai pointed out, trying to explain.

"That was different. I wanted to avoid a fight with Dean. I didn't want him to see Tristan kiss me. You and I won't fight if you kiss Luke."

_If? _WHEN_, sweetie, _when_ is the right word. And I'm out._

Rory spoke again.

"You know, you can just tell me you don't want me to be there because you don't want to have extra pressure. I'd understand."

"You would?"

"Of course. Just tell me something."

_Oh, the relief!_

"Anything," Lorelai agreed.

"Is the reason why you're so nervous because you and Luke are going to kiss?"

_That evil grin, she got from me._

"I'm not nervous. Luke is."

"Uh huh..."

"I've got nothing to be nervous about! He's the one freaking out, wanting to rehearse the kiss so it's perfect. I don't need any practice. I'm a great kisser."

"Okay..."

"Okay."

Suddenly really tired, Lorelai said goodnight and headed to her bedroom when she heard Rory yell at her.

"Watch the teeth!"

She stopped at the stairs.

"What?"

"Watch the teeth. When you're too eager to kiss someone, sometimes, the teeth clench. And it's not good. And watch your coffee drinking. Luke probably hates that taste."

"I don't need kissing advice from my daughter, thank you very much. The proof being I had you at 16..."

"Oh, gross!" Rory slammed her bedroom door shut.

_Watch the teeth, no coffee. Got it._

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lorelai had managed to fall asleep around 4, after hours and hours of tossing and turning. When she had gotten up around 12, she saw the note Rory had left on the kitchen table saying she'd meet her for lunch at Luke's.

"Aw, man, Rory! I don't wanna go to Luke's!" she whined out loud to herself.

Things had been left in a bizarre stage the evening before between her and her co-star. And they both knew today was THE day. Being aware of that fact only put more pressure and tension on them... Her insides were so screwed up that Lorelai thought she would never be able to eat again.

She opened the cupboard where the coffee usually was and found the bag empty... with a pink post-it on it.

_No coffee, remember? Now, go brush your teeth... Luv ya. Rory._

_Funny, funny girl,_ Lorelai thought, squishing the bag in her fist and throwing it in her daughter's bedroom. She looked at the clock on the coffee machine, felt her heart stopping and her breathing getting stuck in her throat, and she ran upstairs to the bathroom.

Another note was waiting for her on the toothpaste.

_I so knew you would! _

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was close to 1:30 when she finally got to the diner. Rory was at the counter. Lorelai didn't want to sit at the counter. It was way too close to Luke. She walked up to Rory, glancing around to make sure Luke wasn't there.

"Why didn't you sit at a table?" she asked.

Rory looked around.

"Well, I've been waiting for you for over an hour. When I got here, there was no table available."

"There is now. Come on," she ordered Rory before sitting down as far as she could from the counter. She put her purse on a chair and sighed. "Sorry it took me so long."

"Mom, are you okay?" Rory asked, concerned.

"I'm fine."

"You look like you're gonna pass out or something..."

Rory leaned in so no one else would hear what she'd say to Lorelai. She suddenly frowned.

"Whoa! You smell good today."

Lorelai blushed. The second she had sprayed herself, she knew she shouldn't have. She knew Rory would notice.

"I smell the same every day..." she tried.

"You put on your special date perfume you don't want me to touch, didn't you?"

"I did not..."

Rory stared at her mom.

"... The bottle fell off the shelf when I grabbed my toothbrush and the smell must have stayed on me..."

"So you did brush your teeth..."

"I always brush my teeth!" Lorelai loudly interjected.

"Your dentist would be proud. What can I getcha?"

As soon as she heard his voice, her brain went blank. She felt her eyes widen a little, still staring at Rory, crying for help.

"She'll have a cheeseburger, no onions, of course..."

Rory didn't need to wink for Lorelai to understand what she implied here.

"... and an iced tea."

"No coffee?" Luke asked Lorelai, raising his eyebrows.

_Why did she have to look so particularly beautiful today? As if I was not nervous enough._

"Noooo coffee," Rory answered. "Isn't it nice, Luke?"

_I'm so gonna kill you. Just wait 'til today's over, little girl. If I'm not dead by tonight, you're the one who'll suffer. _Lorelai felt as if she was trapped inside her own body, able to see and hear but not talk or move. Like in those horrible nightmares when you try to scream but nothing wants to come out.

"What, are you pregnant or something?"

She felt Luke's gaze but she could not bring herself to turn her head toward him. She had to drink some coffee... because her body needed it, but also to prove Rory she didn't care what she tasted like for Luke. She tried to talk and she succeeded this time, with a weird voice.

"I'll have coffee. And onions. In the burger, not the coffee. Skip the cheese, though."

Rory mouthed "no" while shaking her head. She almost looked horrified.

"Coming right up," he said, pouring the coffee and turning away.

Rory was still looking at her mom as she was crazy. Lorelai took the cup in front of her, brought it to her lips and grinned devilishly.

Rory shook her head in disbelief as her mother took a sip.

_Ewww... Coffee and toothpaste, not a good combination within the same half hour..._

Luke brought the plate –and also an iced tea- without a word and returned to the counter. Lorelai watched him as he walked away, wondering when he had become so handsome and sexy.

"Watch it, you're drooling..." Rory quietly teased.

"Oh, stop!"

_Staring at the burger now._

"Sorry. I didn't wanna freak you out," Rory apologized.

Lorelai took a deep breath. She really forced herself to look only at the burger, but something stronger than her will made her raise her head and look at Luke once again. He was behind the counter, going through a bunch of receipts. He seemed focused and calm. How could he be focused and calm when she was currently suffering from strokes and Parkinson? How could he look so confident and steady and strong when she was so flaky? And why did she have to put on that perfume, anyway? Why did she care what she tasted like? Why couldn't she eat? Why couldn't she drink her coffee? Why... _Oooooh he's looking at me! He's looking at me!_ She tried to smile, aware that she was using the shy smile over the confident and friendly one, and she looked back at the untouched burger in front of her, unable to erase the stupid timid grin off her face.

Playing with the ring on her middle finger, Lorelai looked at Rory who was still analyzing her mother's new attitude.

"Why am I nervous? It's only a stupid rehearsal. Why am I feeling like this?"

"Describe _this_?" Rory said, in her '_the-doctor's-here_' tone.

"Like I'm 12 and about to give Lily Milton the love letter I wrote for Ben Jenkins so she can give it to him. It's only Luke, I shouldn't feel like he's Ben Jenkins."

"Maybe you're nervous because you're about to kiss him?"

"I've kissed a lot of men before."

"How many?"

"Rory! The point is that it's only Luke and it's only a fake kiss. How less un-stressful could this possibly be?" Lorelai said, unconsciously taking off the onions out of her burger and setting them aside.

Rory noticed her mother's move and hid a smirk.

"I think you're just putting too much thought into it. Try not to overanalyze everything, it's gonna be fine."

"You think I think too much?"

"Yup. That's what I do, too. We think too much and it makes things bigger, out of proportion."

"Dirty..." Lorelai smiled, taking a sip of iced tea, realizing how bad of a mix coffee, tea and toothpaste were together.

She must have made a face of disgust because Rory reached in her pocket and pulled out a pack of mint gum. She set it in front of Lorelai and pushed it toward her.

Lorelai immediately crossed her arms over her chest.

"Silly, stubborn woman," Rory let out. "Lunch is on me... Since you didn't eat anything, I might get a discount." She winked, got up and walked to the counter where Luke was.

She paid and just before turning around, she called Luke back.

"Luke..."

"Yeah?"

"My mom's really nervous so go easy on her, okay?"

A stunned and confused Luke watched Rory walk back to her table then discretely glanced at Lorelai.

_She's nervous? Yeah, right. _She _is the one who has to go easy on me._

Rory took her pack of gum and motioned it toward Lorelai.

"You sure you don't want one? It's a brand new pack, you'd be the first to have one. You love being the first..." she insisted.

"Don't you have a book to read, a novel to write or a whale to save?"

"I'll see you tonight. Good luck," Rory said before leaving.

Once outside, she opened the gum pack and saw what she had expected to see: a piece was missing. _Good girl._ She put it back in her pocket.

Sitting alone in the diner, Lorelai took the script out of her purse. She pushed her plate far enough so she could put the sheets in front of her. She didn't really want to read it over again, but she had to look like she was doing something. When she saw Luke approaching out of the corner of her eye, she quickly turned the pages as if she was searching for something.

"You didn't touch your burger..." he noticed, taking the plate.

"Oh, no, I touched it."

"You didn't eat."

"Wow, you are quite observant," she sarcastically replied. "I wasn't really hungry."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong! I had already eaten at home."

"That never stops you, usually..."

"Well, what can I say? I'm trying to better myself, so stop overanalyzing everything, it'll be fine," she said, remembering Rory's advice. She nervously glanced at the clock. Luke noticed it.

"I'm ready to go when you are," he assured her.

"Oh... Now?"

_Don't panic, Lorelai. Keep your cool... _

"Whenever..." He shrugged his shoulders and brought her plate back to the kitchen.

Lorelai was taken aback by the way he had answered. He really didn't seem to care. Maybe she _was_ making a big deal out of nothing. She rolled the script, put it back in her purse, and got up.

They reached outside, both mute and avoiding eye contact. When they arrived in front of Miss Patty's, they still hadn't exchanged a word. Lorelai talked first, out of nervousness and maybe to preserve her reputation.

"Here we are..." she let out, thinking she had never noticed how scary the blue studio was.

Luke sighed. He immediately hoped that Lorelai wouldn't hear his breath shaking. She didn't.

"Yup. Here we are."

This situation had attained the highest level of discomfort. Luke thought he'd make things better if he spoke.

"You know, we don't have to do this," he tested.

She looked up at him. He was the one who had convinced her they had to rehearse, and now that she had wrapped her mind around the idea, he wanted to back out? What a tease! However, she took a casual tone and said, "Right."

"Although," he quickly added, "if we don't, Miss Patty's gonna know it immediately and she's probably gonna make us do more stupid, embarrassing exercises..."

"Riiiight..." Lorelai lingered, waiting for his conclusion.

"And we wouldn't want that."

_Does he want me to beg him, or what?_

"So, what do we do?" he continued.

"Well, I don't have any change to flip a coin," Lorelai answered, "so you decide."

"Why me?"

"Luke, come on! This is not a life changing decision..."

_It's not? Who are you kidding, here?_

Lorelai thought she wouldn't put all those hours of stress to waste. She had almost developed an ulcer over this; they were going to do it.

"Come on." She grabbed his wrist. _Let's kiss_, she added silently.

He let her lead the way into the studio and watched her, completely immobile, while she closed the doors and turned on the lights. She thought she should have let them off. Maybe it would have helped them.

Still turning her back to Luke, she closed her eyes. _What am I doing?_

Luke started to pace around. _Why do men always have to make the first move? It would be easier if she'd kiss me first, that way, I wouldn't have to think about how and when and where to put my hands... _

Lorelai put a strand of hair behind her ear and opened her eyes. She was still facing the wall. _If only I was the one kissing him first, it would be easier. What's killing me is being in front of him, knowing he's gonna lean in slow motion any second, wondering where to look._

They knew they had to face each other in order to kiss, but for some strange reason, they were unable to do it.

"This is so weird..." She had whispered, but the empty studio echoed her voice loud enough for Luke to hear.

"Yeah... I feel like I'm... 12," he let out.

Lorelai chuckled and finally turned to him, leaning her back against the wall.

"I know the feeling..." she agreed.

Her gaze fell onto his blue flannel shirt. She liked this shirt. She felt safe when he was wearing it. Silly, but comforting feeling. What if this kiss was about to change everything? What if they couldn't overcome the weirdness after, and stopped talking?

"Luke?" She had to voice her fear.

"Uhm?"

But, of course, she changed her mind.

"...You know you have to get closer to me if you wanna... rehearse."

_Rehearse_. It had become such a meaningful word. Scary. Exciting.

He walked exactly five steps and stopped right before her who was still leaned against the wall. His heart was about to fly out of his chest. _Men shouldn't feel this way_, he thought.

His proximity was limiting the oxygen, that's why she was not breathing.

_Do I have to touch him? I feel like an idiot, standing there. _

Luke's eyes roamed over her entire body while he wondered where the heck he could put his hands, fighting the urge of brushing that piece of hair off her forehead.

Still staring at his chest, she saw him getting closer. _How much closer can he get!_ She tried to swallow though her mouth was really dry and slowly looked at his face. Her lips parted as their eyes locked. She heard him breathe in and her gaze fell on his lips.

He took a deep breath before hesitatingly putting his palms on her hips.

She closed her eyelids for a moment. The feeling of his hands on her made her chest rise a little.

Luke's hands slid a little upwards and he instinctively applied a slight pressure on her waist.

She found herself brought forward. When she felt his body against hers, she involuntarily moved her hips so they would be closer.

He sensed her react and listened to her breathing heavily. She rose her chin. Their noses brushed.

He didn't recognize his voice when he murmured, "You smell good..."

Hypnotized by his eyes, she shivered at his tone.

"Is that a line?" she whispered, barely moving her waiting lips.

"No..."

Their noses brushed again. Once his hot breath reached her lips, she heard herself gasp. Her eyes closed and her hips shifted against him again.

"Thanks..." she inaudibly let out, almost pleading.

They heard the doors slide open and froze.

"Against the wall!" Miss Patty proudly and loudly interfered. "That's good! I'm gonna add this to the stage direction!"

She walked to the table like she was unaware of what she had just interrupted.

"Jeez..." Luke whispered, still looking into Lorelai's opened eyes. He took off his hands and backed away, leaving Lorelai pinned against the wall, unable to move. He didn't hear her disappointment sigh. She felt like smashing her head into the wall.

A second later, Lorelai recovered her ability to speak.

"You're early, Miss Patty..."

"I wanted to check on some papers I had left here, but since you two are all ready, we can start the rehearsal... Isn't it nice?"

_Real nice._

"I assume you know all of your lines?"

They both just nodded.

"Great. Okay, since I have the both of you all to myself, we will do only the scenes where Kyle and Sara are alone, starting with the one in the office: scene 18."

_The one in the office?_ they both wondered. Lorelai pulled out the rolled script off her purse and, seeing Luke's confused face, approached him so he could also take a look. When she reached the 18th scene, her eyes widened. She looked at Luke who had the same face on.

"What's the matter?" Miss Patty cooed. "You two look like deers caught in headlights..."

"Uhm..." Lorelai started, "you want us to do this scene right now? Like this?"

"Yes."

Luke tried to help.

"Wouldn't it be best if we did something else before?"

"Like what?" Patty innocently asked.

_Get drunk?_

"Like a couple of scenes before?" Lorelai answered. "When they meet or... when they..."

"Sweetie, the show is in 9 days. We need to work on the tougher scenes, the ones that need more stage direction. Okay, now, take a minute to get in character."

They took a minute to control their anxiety. After that minute, Miss Patty told Lorelai to stand next to the wall, and she placed Luke at the table, about six feet from Lorelai.

"Whenever you're ready..." Patty cued.

_Stop thinking, Lorelai. Now, come on._

Lorelai knocked on the wall, pretending she was behind a door.

"_Come in!"_ Luke-Kyle greeted.

Lorelai took a step forward, straightening her back.

"_Mister McMahon wants the Jenkins' file on his desk first thing tomorrow,"_ she said as Sara, in a cold and distant voice.

"That's great, Lorelai," Patty encouraged. "Now, Luke, you have to get up, look really confident and self-conscious..."

Luke did what Patty said and spoke his line.

"_I know, I was at the meeting too. Is this the only reason you came in here, to tell me this?_"

"_Yes._"

"Lorelai, be more defensive. Luke, say your line again."

After discretely rolling his eyes, Luke did as he was told. "_I know, I was at the meeting too. Is this the only reason you came in here, to tell me this?_"

"_Yes._"

"Perfect! Now, Luke, start approaching Lorelai, slowly. Like a hunting tiger in the Amazonian Jungle!"

Miss Patty really was undeniably into it. Luke and Lorelai exchanged a look, trying not to laugh at their coach. Luke started to walk toward Lorelai who instinctively took a step back. Miss Patty almost squealed in delight.

"_No,_" Luke corrected. "_You could have called me instead._"

"_Well, why else would I be in here?_" Lorelai paused."_To talk about how stupid your girlfriend looked at the party?_"

"_I think you came in here because you want me._"

"Luke," Miss Patty put an hand on his arm and startled him a little. "You have to relax, doll. And that line has to be said like you really mean it, otherwise it's not going to work. Kyle knows Sara," she pointed to Lorelai, "is melting at his sight. Act on it. Use your sexual power, honey."

"Yeah, honey," Lorelai teased, "use your sexual power..."

"Lorelai," Miss Patty reprimanded, "you, on the other hand, could use a little stiffness. Sara's terrified by her overpowering desire for Kyle... You can't look like you are ready to jump him already."

Luke snorted. Lorelai blushed.

"Your line, Luke."

"_I think you came in here because you want me._"

"Good, now keep moving toward her..."

"_I don't want you. You're not my type. You've never been._"

Luke went as close as he could go without touching her.

"_Not your type, huh?_" His voice had suddenly gotten lower and quieter.

If Lorelai could have gone through the wall, she would have... but she was stuck.

"Luke, as Lorelai says her line, take one last step."

Luke looked at Miss Patty. "I can't, she's already practically part of the wall!"

"That's the beauty of it, gorgeous. Here, let me help you..."

_Danger, danger..._

Luke and Lorelai looked at each other, petrified. At least, they were on the same page. The director, who was clearly enjoying the hell out of this, grabbed Luke's thigh without a warning and put it right between Lorelai's legs.

"Like this. You see?"

Astounded, they didn't know what they were supposed to see, but they were certainly feeling. Lorelai had to concentrate not to get closer. She was even afraid to breathe because it was surely going to cause a movement, and, at this point, the tiniest move from either one of them would have been really embarrassing. For her, anyway. Because of the way it aroused her. She tried to keep a straight face on... but Patty saw something else.

"Keep that expression, Lorelai. That's some good acting! You look..."

_Oh, my God, please don't put into words how I look!_

"...you look scared and aroused and sexy! Doesn't she, Luke?"

That was not comfortable. At all. Luckily, Patty didn't wait for Luke to answer her rhetorical question.

"Okay, start again from _I think you came in here _blah, blah..."

Luke quickly took two steps back. Lorelai silently thanked God.

"_I think you came in here because you want me._"

He slowly got closer.

"_I don't want you. You're not my type. You've never been._"

And closer again as he said, "_Not your type, huh?"_

Lorelai hated this and, at the same time, didn't want it to stop. Confused, she tried to block all of her thoughts and just said her line.

"_Not my..._"

"Luke!" Miss Patty called. "Your thigh! I can't do it for you every time."

"Sorry," he said.

"_Not your type, huh?_" He put his thigh between Lorelai's legs and held her gaze at the same time.

"_Not my..._"

"Keep your positions!" Patty interrupted them. "Now, Luke, in order to shut her up, you have to take her right leg, the one that's facing the spectators..."

"I know where the right is, Patty," Luke cut her off.

"...and wrap it around your hip."

Luke and Lorelai jerked away from one another.

"What!"

"You're not serious!" Lorelai exclaimed. "That's not in the script!"

"It is now," Patty ordered. "You two are so great, you gotta give the crowd something."

"Don't you think we're giving enough already?" Luke almost begged.

"Shhh. Now come on, carry on..."

Lorelai steadied herself, leaning against the wall. She had given up on trying to calm her heartbeat. She had stopped a while ago repeating to herself that this was ridiculous.

Luke couldn't believe what he was actually doing. But he was doing it. He put back his thigh in position, hoping Lorelai wouldn't notice how excited he was.

"_Not your type, huh?_"

"_Not my..._" She felt his hand on her thigh and let him lift it. He kept his hand there, under her knee, unaware of the burning sensation it was giving her.

The silence of this moment was surreal. Lorelai felt completely lost in his eyes. She would never be able to remember her lines. Her palms against the wall, she didn't want to touch him, scared she wouldn't be able to control her own hands.

Not wanting to break the tension, Patty lowered her voice.

"Okay... Now, Luke you brush her face."

His shaking fingers touched her skin, went behind her ear and ended up on her neck. He let his thumb run over her cheek. Lorelai couldn't remember what she was supposed to do or say. She just repeated her last line.

"_Not my..._"

_What's next! I can't remember! _she panicked.

Patty applauded, thrilled. Luke had to get away from Lorelai. He walked back to the table, desperately trying to forget how close he had been to kiss her... and how he thought he saw her blue eyes darken with desire. He had to get better sleep at night. He was seeing things. He was crazy. He was about to die in his pants, suddenly too tight.

"After that amazing sexually tensioned instant, Luke, you kiss her. Lorelai, you take a second or two before you respond to his kiss and then, when you really look like you're into it, the curtain will close and it will be the intermission." She clapped again. "Okay, one more time from _I think you came in here because..._

Couldn't she let them catch their breath? Lorelai felt as if she and the wall had become one. This was exhausting, she didn't even have the strength to talk. She shot an embarrassed smile at Luke and chuckled when he returned her smile. She didn't know Luke had an embarrassed smile. She took comfort in it and stood straight with less difficulty.

This was, without a doubt, the longest he had ever seen Lorelai quiet in almost ten years of knowing her. And it was really destabilizing because it gave him an epiphany: when she wasn't herself, he wasn't himself either.

The huge cup of coffee she would drink after all this was going to break a world record, she promised herself. She could almost already smell the strong, flavoured ground beans.

She saw Luke looking at her, silently telling her he was ready. She didn't need to nod, he knew she was too.

He walked toward her; the closer he got, the slower he took his steps.

"_I think you came in here because you want me._"

Another step from Luke, another shaky breath from Lorelai who quickly licked her lips with the tip of her tongue.

"_I... I don't want you. You're not my type. You... have never been._"

She looked at her feet, mentally kicking herself. _Well, that was not stammered at all..._ She saw his right leg approaching her and their knees met for a split second before he pushed his way through her thighs with his own.

"_Not your type, huh?_"

Flustered, her eyes went up from his waist to his chest, wandering for a while on his neck, up to his square and unshaved jaw. Voluntarily skipping over his lips, she finally locked eyes with him just as his fingers lightly pulled her leg up around his hip. It would have been so easy to let herself go with this move... She didn't want to blink, she wanted to keep being stared at, to keep feeling so powerful and yet so weak. Then, right that instant, still allowing him to read into her, a wave of fear and exaltation intensely swept her entire body.

"_Not my..._"

His left hand went directly to her hair, his fingers caressed her neck, his thumb close to her lips. She indiscernibly tilted her head onto his palm, secretly needing him to continue. When his thumb grazed the corner of her mouth, she instinctively breathed in, parting her lips.

Luke pulled her leg a slightly higher. He was physically hurting trying to hold in the moan threatening to come out of his throat. He shivered although it was really warm in the studio, but she didn't notice. God, she was beautiful. He couldn't believe she was letting him do this. Well, letting _Kyle_, anyway. A glance at her mouth gave him the courage to lean in. Really wanting to remember this moment forever, wanting to savour it, not wanting it to end, he took his time.

But an hesitation too many and Patty was yelling again.

"Ooooooh yes! That will be so great! One more time!"

She was literally jumping up and down. And it was a frightening image.

They both sighted out of frustration. Luke stepped back, shaking his head, really wishing he could go home to take cold shower and get at least 100 feet away from Lorelai.

_Dammit, Patty! Let us kiss or end this session, for Lucifer's sake!_

"Why again?" Luke almost cried.

Lorelai agreed, "Yeah, don't you think we have it down after all this?"

Patty bursted into a clear laughter.

"Oh, poor love birds! You had it down the first time you did it, I just lovvvvve watching you!"

Lorelai's jaw dropped, Luke's fists clenched.

"Well, since you now both know you're perfect, we're gonna call it a day. In fact, I have an idea..."

"Yippee," Luke mouthed to Lorelai.

Patty continued, "We won't practice scene 18 and 24 anymore. Next time I see it, I want it to be on stage, during the premiere."

Lorelai recovered her voice.

"Uhm.. aren't you afraid of what it's gonna look like if we don't rehearse the whole play, with the whole cast at least one time?"

She just winked and told them to have a nice week, reminding them that the dress rehearsal was next Sunday.

What kind of director would let the two most important –and, in this case: sexy and primordial-scenes out of the rehearsals until the premiere? Patty would. And that woman was just getting weirder every day.

All of a sudden, Luke and Lorelai found themselves outside, on the sidewalk. Lorelai had completely forgotten her need for caffeine.

They knew that things between them matched the description of awkward. And neither of them knew how to fix their self-consciousness.

Luke risked some words, his voice sounding surprisingly steady.

"Well, that was..." He really didn't know what to say.

Lorelai tried to help him out.

"It was! Yeah. Definitely was."

"Can you remind me why I agreed to do this?" Luke narrowed his eyes.

"You didn't agree. I forced you to."

"Sounds about right. You owe me."

"Hey! I'm in the same horrible position as you are!"

_Horrible?_ He looked in the direction of his diner.

She went on, "So, Patty is..."

"Insane?" he proposed.

"She's forcing us to do this... so, technically, she is a rapist?"

Luke laughed out loud.

His laugh always made her feel all warmish inside. She studied his features until his laugh faded into a tiny shade of smile.

"Kirk could make great T-shirts with that..."

"Yeah, he would..." She waited for him to talk again but remembered he was Luke. If she didn't have anything else to say, he probably was out of ideas, too. "Well... I should go."

"I have to go too. Diner," he explained.

She nodded.

The look he gave her, she had never seen it before... so she wasn't really sure what it meant. But it did made her heart skip a beat. It was kind of deep... languishing? No. That wasn't Luke.

"Well, bye..." she said. "I'll see you tomorrow?" Boy! She hadn't intend for her last sentence to sound so pleading.

"See you tomorrow..."

Luke rapidly turned around and walked to the diner without a last look behind.

_Whoa! I was about to lean in and kiss her, right there on the street! I want my old self back! The one that wasn't constantly aware of every single feeling inside of him. I feel like a chick._

Lorelai frowned as she watched him leave.

_I really should have eaten today. My stomach's turning again, my heart's pounding really hard because I don't have any coffee in my system; it's almost in detoxification! And is it me, or was Luke motioning to give me a hug or something? He's weird. Maybe Kirk could make T-shirts..._

She smiled to herself and turned away. _All this mess and still no kiss... Life is fun this way_.

* * *

_**A.N.2 **Suggestions? A quick Hello? I'm good with anything as long as it's something.. hahaha_

_**A.N.3 **Maddy? I'm sorry there was no kiss! I HAVE A PLAN! You'll see. Call me Patty if you want. THREE DAYS. Thanks for everything Fever Girl._


	9. Confusedness and Recipe

_**A.N. **I know any amount of apologies wouldn't make up for the long weeks you had to wait for this chapter, but I'm genuinely sorry. I went to Chicago to see Maddy for a week... and got big inspiration in the waiting room of the doctor's office while Maddy, my partner, peed on her hand, but then it was Christmas and New Year and work and school started Jan. 3rd for us... but here it is. The hardest chapter I've ever had to write. Fresh new stuff. Hot stuff. Be aware and read slowly because it took me forever to write... as you probably noticed. ;)_

_**Disclaimer: **I'm not supposed to be in the credits of the show. I'm not schizophrenic. _

**Sorry for the catfight over it, Maddy... Love you.**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Confusedness and Recipe**

Lorelai had spent all day postponing her going to Luke's. Maybe she wanted to see if she was able to convince herself she didn't _need_ to see him. And even though she knew deep down that it would never happen, she wanted to see if he'd call or show up with some kind of vague excuse... She felt stupider and stupider with every passing second. She had felt the urge to go to the diner since 6:04 a.m. when she had opened her eyes for good and stopped pretending she wasn't awake, but this time, the undeniable necessity didn't come from caffeine withdrawals or food cravings. In fact, she hadn't been able to eat normally –according to _her_ normality, of course- for days. Admitting this reality was tough on her; confessing it to anyone else was impossible.

She had never been that confused before. She couldn't even put her confusedness into words; it was more of an overwhelming wave that started in her stomach and spread all over her, with a silent explosion. And every time she tried to understand this Tsunami, her mind blacked out. She couldn't explain, she couldn't understand, she couldn't talk about it. All she could do was suck it up and bear it. Exhausting.

It was 9 p.m. now. Lorelai had put her maid skills to use and her house was unusually clean. Thanks to Rory, she didn't even have any laundry to do to keep her busy. Sunday night T.V. programs all deeply sucked in November and she seemed to have lost her mocking abilities. Three times, she had put on her coat and headed to her car to drive to Luke's. Three times she had ended up going back inside her house. The more she waited, the angrier she got with herself. Luke's was going to close up if she didn't decide quickly.

She didn't need a pretext to see Luke before any of this craziness emerged from nowhere. All she had to do was to enter the diner and complain about something or beg for coffee and then they'd just chat and argue and fight... and flirt. No consequences. Why was today so different? What had caused this situation? Was there a situation? Was she the only one to feel the change? What had changed? Was she the one who had changed or was it him? Lorelai didn't recognize herself. She really had considered making a list of conversation topics to discuss with Luke. Lorelai Gilmore needed therapy.

She was in her Jeep for the fourth time today, but this time, the engine was on. As soon as she caught herself searching for a good and funny first thing to say to Luke when she'd get there, she turned on the radio and started to drive.

Luke saw Lorelai on the sidewalk before she pushed the door. _Finally,_ he thought. He repressed the smile of excitement that wanted to play on the corner of his lips and focused on the cash register, trying to look casual, trying to look as if he hadn't noticed she was coming in. He couldn't let her see he had waited for her all day. The door opened, his heart started pounding. Why was he nervous?

The bell jingled as usual over her head as she pushed the door open. It's good to know some things never change. She saw Kirk, the only costumer, sitting at the counter, eating a sandwich and sat next to him, forcing herself not to look at Luke who was behind the counter.

"Hey, Kirk."

Luke pretended to wipe clean the cash drawer. Why wasn't she talking to him? Was she mad?

"You should try this, Lorelai," Kirk said, pointing at his plate.

"Oh. What is it?" she asked, not the least interested. She glanced at Luke for half of a split second. Why wasn't he looking at her?

"It's a mustard and cheese sandwich."

That caught her attention. She frowned.

"Mustard and cheese? Nothing else?"

"With plain white bread. It's my fourth one. I've been trying to get the recipe from Luke, but he won't tell."

"The recipe?" She tried not to laugh and turned to Luke. He locked eyes with her, smiled and shrugged his shoulders, raising an eyebrow.

Lorelai's Tsunami was back. She watched him pour a cup of coffee and waited for him to hand it to her before she continued, "Luke... why won't you give him the recipe for the _cheese_ and _mustard_ sandwich?"

Before Luke had a chance to reply, Kirk put the last piece of bread in his mouth and spoke at the same time.

"Could you ask Sookie for me?" he asked her, not even covering his mouth.

Slightly disturbed, Lorelai made a face.

"Call me tomorrow and I'll have the secret recipe all ready for you."

Kirk broadly smiled and a piece of chewed cheese flew off his mouth. On that note, he left.

_This is it._

The bell sound faded. Lorelai chuckled because she didn't know what to say and felt threatened by the silence.

"How sad was this?" she said.

"Sad meaning usual?"

"Don't you ever feel sorry for him?"

"Lulu's the one I'm sorry for..."

"Luke!" she interjected.

"What? She's the one sleeping with him," he mumbled.

Why did he have to talk about sex?

"Well, that's something I don't wanna think about," Lorelai replied.

"Kirk having sex?"

"Would you stop saying that?"

"Stop saying Kirk or sex?"

"Luke!" she jerked her head towards him.

She smiled and lost herself in his laugh. After a few seconds of thick silence, Luke put his hands in his pockets.

"So... are you really gonna ask Sookie for that recipe?"

"Yeah," she joked, "I wouldn't want Kirk to end up with food poisoning on my behalf..."

Luke remained quiet for a while and then shook his head.

"Poor Lulu..." he said.

"That's it." She got up. "I've had enough images for tonight..." She opened the door.

"Sweet dreams..." he teased.

Lorelai looked at him once last time, squinting her eyes and pursing her lips. His laugh followed her outside. She could still hear it when she reached her bed. Sweet dreams, indeed.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a slow Monday at the Inn and Lorelai had taken part of the afternoon off. As she arrived home, she pressed play on her answering machine.

"_Lorelai. It's Kirk. I just wanted to make sure you didn't forget to ask Sookie for the recipe. I kind of need it soon. Mother's letting me cook dinner tonight and I was planning on it."_

She rolled her eyes and went through the mail as the next message started.

"_Lorelai? It's Kirk. I think I've called before but I'm not sure. I thought I had the right number but you haven't call me back. Call me back."_

And the third one:

"_Hey, Lorelai... it's Doug."_

She almost dropped the envelope she was holding

" _I just wanted to know how you were doing. Uhm... The job in New York's good! We have a break all week because of Thanksgiving and I thought I'd come back to Stars Hollow to see the last couple of rehearsals and maybe even the play and... yeah. So, uhm... I guess I'll see you soon! Take care."_

She didn't need that. She really didn't need that.

She erased the messages quickly. As she sighed, there was a knock on the front door. Suddenly wishing she didn't take the afternoon off, she got to the door and opened it. Kirk didn't wait for Lorelai's greeting to enter the house, out of breath. He was clearly panicking.

"You're home!" he cried.

"...aaaand apparently, you are too. Come in," she mumbled under her breath, closing the door. As she turned back to Kirk, she saw he had disappeared. She looked for him and found him in the kitchen, pacing around, still panting heavily.

"Kirk, I was going to call you with the recipe, you didn't need to come over."

"I know..." He shook his head rapidly, tying to catch his breath.

"Then why..."

"It's been preponed."

Lorelai stared blankly.

"Huh?"

"It's. Been. Preponed."

"_Preponed?_ What does that mean?"

"It's the antonym of postponed, brought to an earlier date."

She frowned even more. "Maybe you need to sit down, Kirk." _Or maybe you need stronger medication._

"Thank you, but no. I don't have time to sit. I need to tell everyone else!"

"Tell everyone else what!" This was getting beyond annoying.

"That it's been preponed! To Wednesday! This Wednesday! The day before Thanksgiving!"

"Okay. Calm down and tell me slowly, and in English, what you're talking about."

"The play. Miss Patty thought about it and realized that a Premiere on a Sunday after Thanksgiving wasn't the best idea. So she changed her mind, made new tickets and now it's Wednesday!"

Lorelai, in shock, slowly pulled a chair and sat down.

"You mean... the play is... _this_ Wednesday?"

Kirk solemnly nodded. "In two days," he confirmed.

Lorelai didn't even notice when Kirk left. She didn't know how long she sat there, staring in front of her, listening to her heartbeat. _Still pounding, at least. That's a good sign, right?_

When she emerged from her catatonic state, she got up and frantically dialled his number. Cesar answered.

"I need to talk to Luke."

"He's not here."

"Where is he!"

"He didn't say. He just said I had to cover for him. Maybe I can help you?"

"Doubt it. Uhm... So you have no idea when he's gonna come back?"

"Sorry."

She hung up the cordless phone and threw it on the couch before taking her Jeep. She drove around town searching for Luke's truck. About twenty minutes later, she decided he had to go home some time today so she went into the diner and nobody noticed when she went upstairs. The door was unlocked. _Ha! Don't you ever lecture me again on the necessity of locking front doors when you're not home, Danes._

The door closed behind her and it hit her. She was in Luke's apartment. Alone. He was going to be so mad. That thought made her smile. Who knew Luke was a tidy person like this? No dishes in the sink or on the counter, no clothes thrown around. She thought about looking around for his hamper to see if she could find _his_ lacy bra, but thanked God she didn't find one, because chances are it wouldn't have been his, but _hers. _Whoever _she _would be. And that would have been upsetting. Did Luke have a _she_? He could be seeing someone for all she knew, he was so secretive. The toothbrush holder only held one toothbrush, but _she_ could very well carry it with her. _Lorelai Gilmore, stop snooping around and sit tight until he returns. This is none of your business and it's only gonna upset you which will confuse you even more. _She peeked at his bed and her mouth went dry. She hastily closed her eyes and turned around. She was about to sit on the couch when she heard voices and footsteps in the hallway. _Voices. And one's a female. _Feeling like a thief, she searched for a place to hide. _This was a bad, bad, bad idea._ She looked at the window and stupidly wondered if she could jump out, not really considering it. She froze when she clearly heard his voice behind the door.

"I can't believe I forgot them, knowing it was the reason I was going to your place..."

_Is he talking about condoms! Oh God. No wonder he's always talking about sex. He's getting some. Who's the woman!_

She got her answer when the woman spoke. A well-known-well-hated voice.

"Luke, we don't have all day," _she _said, in that dry and commanding tone of hers.

_Nicole! He's... Nicole! What the..._

"It'll take a second," he said as the door opened. "They're right in my bedside table."

Lorelai would have died right then, when he saw her standing there. He abruptly stopped walking and blinked a few times, speechless, his body blocking the entrance to Nicole. He gestured towards Lorelai.

"Wha..."

"Hey, you're back." That's all Lorelai could think of saying.

Nicole pushed Luke to the side so she could see what was going on. As soon as she saw Lorelai, she stiffened even more –as if it was possible.

"Lorelai..." she greeted.

_God, I hate the way she says my name._

Lorelai politely and quickly smiled to her and looked back at Luke, who still had his mouth open.

"I haven't been here long," she explained. "The door was open, I..."

She nervously brushed an imaginary piece of hair off her forehead and looked at the floor, shifting on her feet.

Nicole put her hands on her hips. Luke saw how uncomfortable Lorelai seemed and he almost found the situation funny.

"I'll wait downstairs," they heard Nicole say. She closed the door behind her.

Lorelai found it easier to breathe now that she was gone. Still extremely uncomfortable, she couldn't remember why she was in his apartment. She watched him as he walked to his bedside table.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

He opened the drawer.

_What am I doing here?_

"Uh... You were nowhere to be found and I... I thought I'd wait for you here because I thought you'd come back eventually... alone. I'm so sorry. I... didn't know. I'm gonna go."

She motioned towards the door.

"No, you can stay here. I just have to..."

"Luke, it's fine. I don't wanna interrupt your plans with... her." There was something about saying her name out loud that was just unbearable.

Luke snorted. "We didn't have plans."

_Yeah, sure, because you forgot your condoms._ He reached in the drawer. _Oh, man! I don't wanna see them. I..._ Lorelai nearly winced as he pulled something out of the drawer, but frowned as she saw it was papers.

Confused and really curious, she bit on her bottom lip, refraining the myriad of questions that wanted desperately to be asked first.

"I'll be right back," he said. "Let me just get this over with."

He let her alone with herself for a moment. She was still in the exact same biting-her-lip position as before when he came back.

"So!" Luke took off his green coat and threw it on the couch. "If you wanted coffee, you could have asked Cesar."

"I didn't want coffee. Now, however, I do. Thanks for mentioning it."

"I don't keep the coffee upstairs."

"Then, I'll have something strongly alcoholic."

"Special occasion?" he asked.

All of a sudden, she remembered why she had barged in. The play.

"It's been preponed."

Lorelai recognized the look on Luke's face since it probably was the face she had on when Kirk told her.

"Opposite of postpone. It's been brought to an earlier date."

"What are you talking about?"

"You might need to sit down for this..." she warned. He didn't listen so she continued. "The play's on Wednesday."

"What?"

"Yup. In two days."

"But it was..."

"Not anymore," she interrupted.

"Whoa."

"Yup."

"... I need a drink, too."

He found too shot glasses and a Tequila bottle. _That will do._

"I didn't know you drank Tequila!" Lorelai exclaimed, following him to the couch, setting his green coat on the coffee table and taking its place.

"It's gonna be a first." He twisted the cap open.

Lorelai repressed a laugh. "Uhm... you know it's the worst thing to get a first hangover with?"

"It's not going to be my first hangover."

"But you _are_ aware that you'll have a major one?"

"Lorelai, I'm not 8."

"I.D. please?" she kidded.

He poured their first shot and handed her the glass. She took it. She didn't want their fingers to touch but his hands were so big and the glass, really small. _A single, accidental touch and you're blushing? Lorelai, come on! You haven't had a drink yet!_

"You are aware that it's 4 in the afternoon?"

"Lorelai..."

"I'm just saying, Tequila on an empty stomach is really not responsible..."

"When did we switch personalities?" he asked.

She burst into laughter and nearly splashed the Tequila everywhere.

"Here's to the play!"

"Cheers to Miss Patty..." he mumbled.

They drank, swallowed and heavily shivered. She felt the liquid burning down her throat and she felt when it arrived in her stomach. She shook her head and gasped.

"This is disgusting..." Luke let out.

"It gets better with the third one," she promised. "Don't you have any lemon? And salt?"

Luke got up. "You're not going to lick me, are you?"

Lorelai chuckled. "When we reach the tenth shot, you're gonna beg me to..."

"I don't get like that when I'm drunk, don't worry."

_I'm not worried, Luke. I'm not worried._

"I see that you are a real Tequila virgin. Before the sun sets completely, you are so going to wanna sleep with me..."

_When the sun sets, huh?_ Luke thought. _The sun set years ago, then._

Four shots later, Lorelai had to know.

"Can I ask you something?"

She poured herself another glass.

"About?"

She discretely licked her hand, salted it and took a lemon piece between her fingers.

"About Nicole..."

Luke knew what she was going to ask and he hid a smile while drinking.

She stared at the grains of salt on her skin.

"You're not... back with her, are you?"

"What! No!"

"Because, honestly? It would be stupid."

"Uh... I know that."

"Really, superlatively stupid."

"Lorelai, stop. I would never get back with her."

She nodded. Just before Luke swallowed another non-lemony-non-salty shot, she asked: "Are you sleeping with her?"

He chocked and he thought his throat was going to explode.

"Are you trying to kill me?" he managed to say, still coughing.

"I'm sorry! I just... wanna know. Because it would be..."

"Stupid," he said for her.

"Yes."

"Why would you think I'm sleeping with her?"

She repositioned the lemon between her thumb and her middle finger.

"Well... you were at her place and... well, I thought you didn't have any contact with her, so I was just surprised to see her here."

"She's selling the townhouse and she needed the ownership papers. Hot stuff."

"Oh... So you're not... having sex," she summarized.

"Right this instant? No. You'd notice."

"No, not right now. I mean..."

"Not with her, no."

_Not with her! What's that supposed to mean?_

"Are you... with anyone else?" She held her breath.

"Wouldn't you like to know!"

"Never mind..."

Why did she have to ask that question? She mentally kicked herself and Luke amusedly watched her as she licked the salt off her hand, swallowed the Tequila and bit into the lemon. She dropped the lemon on the table and wiped her hands on her jeans.

She felt like it was Luke's turn to speak so she waited. But he remained deadly quiet and he kept staring at her with a smirk on his face. She locked eyes with him. She would not look down first.

"Are you ever gonna answer my question?" she insisted against her will.

"Why?"

She sighed. "Then stop staring at me!"

"I'm not staring. You are."

"Ha! Not."

They held their gaze. Lorelai's stomach started to make knots. Was he ever going to look down? She wouldn't be able to maintain eye contact much longer.

She didn't remember ever wanting to be kissed as much as she wanted to right now. She licked her lips with the tip of her tongue. Salty.

"What are you thinking about?" Luke asked.

_How did he know!_

"I'm not thinking. I've stopped thinking with the fifth shot. That was the whole point of drinking in the afternoon."

"Uh huh..."

And he kept staring. He wasn't even blinking. So she didn't change the subject.

"You know, if you're steadily sleeping with someone, you might wanna tell her that you're in a play and that you have to kiss another woman during the representation."

"I have to kiss someone?" he joked.

"Well, if you ever get the courage to do so, yes."

How long since that staring game had started? Lorelai could feel her heart in her throat. She could also feel every beat in her ears.

"I don't have to tell her anything," he started.

_Ouch._

"Oh. So there's..."

"Cause she doesn't exist. Happy?"

Lorelai snorted. "I'm not _happy. _I was just concerned. I don't want you to get in trouble because of Miss Patty's scenes."

He just smiled. Lorelai thought she was invincible. If she had been mortal, she'd be dead by now. Those feelings were just too much for a normal woman to endure. Unable to take it any longer, she looked away and took a deep breath. Making sure her hands weren't too shaky, she filled their glasses.

"Two days... How can Miss Patty do that to us?" Lorelai whined.

"She thinks we're ready, obviously."

"Man. I'm not ready. Are you ready?"

"I don't think I'll ever be. I might need to get drunk right before the representation."

"I don't think it would help..."

He laughed. It wasn't really funny, but he was starting to feel light headed and heavy at the same time.

"I know."

"Yeah," Lorelai began, "I mean, if you can't kiss me, then you can't. Sober or drunk, you never will..."

She would have taken back those words the second they came out of her mouth. He was going to think she was obsessed, which she was... but he didn't need to know that.

_What is she implying? Can't she be clear once and for all?_

"Why do you keep doubting me like this?"

Was she supposed to answer? She chose to.

"Because you had plenty of opportunities to do so and you didn't."

"We were constantly interrupted," Luke pointed out.

"True, but... I would ask you to kiss me now and you wouldn't."

"Oh, I wouldn't?"

"No. I know you wouldn't."

"Why would you ask me to kiss you anyway?"

_Because that's all I could think about for weeks?_

"To prove my point," she answered.

"Okay, then, ask me," he challenged her. Truth of the matter was, he was challenging himself.

Lorelai was roughly taken aback. A marathon of thoughts started in her mind. Did he want her to ask? Was it only a challenge? What if she asked? Would he refuse only to be funny? If he was to say no, she would be really hurt. More than she wanted to admit. But what if he did kiss her? Could she put her pride aside long enough to ask? She started to tremble.

They had had plenty of awkward, stressful moments, but this was by far the biggest.

"See? You're not even willing to ask."

Her eyes wandered on his face, realizing it was Luke. _Her_ Luke. Something had changed. Something had definitely changed. And it was her. Her gaze dropped to his chest.

She whispered, "You can."

He wasn't sure he heard right.

"I can... what?"

She knew it. She knew he was going to make her beg. _HE _was the one who was supposed to beg her. It was _HIS_ first time with Tequila. She should have known better. She filled her lungs with oxygen and looked up at him.

"Kiss me..."

Her voice had sounded hoarse and not even above a whisper. It had come out almost as a plea, not at all what she had intended... but how can you sound casual when you ask someone to kiss you?

It took Luke a second to fully understand what was going on. He swallowed the lump in his throat, his heart sank into his stomach. He gathered all the strength he could and lightly put his fingers on top of her hands, which were on her thighs.

She slightly jumped, the air stuck somewhere inside of her. Her hands turned palms up and she felt one of her middle finger brushing his wrist, up and down. He grabbed her hands and slowly pulled her closer to him. His forehead leaned against hers and she closed her eyes. _Is this really happening?_ She felt her whole body respond to his warm breath on her face. She parted her lips and tightened her grip on his hands.

The phone rang. They jumped far apart as if they just had been electrocuted. Lorelai bit her lips really hard to repress a scream of deep frustration.

"I would have kissed you," Luke murmured after the second ring.

She replied to herself, "Oh, I know." And she drank up her shot glass in one quick motion as he cleared his throat before answering the phone.. "I know," she repeated.

When Luke returned to the couch, Lorelai had moved the furthest she could from his seat. She had her arms around her. He sat down.

"Are you cold?"

"Yes, a little..." She was really freezing. And hot.

"Take my coat," he proposed. "I don't know where I put the blankets."

She put it on her shoulders, Luke's scent was all over her. _Is this what safety feels like?_ She hugged herself.

She talked to fill the tension.

"Who was on the phone?"

"Kirk."

_Of course,_ she thought. _Who else._

"He wanted to tell me the play's been... _preponed_. He sounded really freaked out."

She smiled, still not able to look at him in the eye.

"Yeah, he's not over it yet. He doesn't know the power of Tequila."

She heard Luke snort.

"You know what would have been funny?" he asked.

She turned her head to him.

"Kirk as Kyle," he continued.

Lorelai tried to imagine it, but quickly shook her head to dismiss the idea.

"Slightly disturbing. Though, I'm not sure Patty would have edited the scenes the way she did."

"Maybe you'd be drinking with him tonight..." he suggested.

"Drinking hot cocoa..."

They laughed, more to lighten up the mood than anything else. They both knew all the small-talks in the world would not improve a thing. But they didn't know how to deal in any other way.

Lorelai started to feel tired. She stretched and sat up.

"Kirk as Kyle..." she repeated. "You know..." _Are you really going to say this out loud?_ "...now that I think of it, I can't see anyone other than you playing Kyle."

She wasn't looking at him so he didn't have to hide the shadow of the smile that appeared on his lips.

"Not even Doug?" _Way to kill a moment, dumb ass,_ Luke beat himself up. _You're such an idiot._

_Oy with the _dog_s already!_

She didn't answer but she sighed. He understood he had gone too far. It was still a sensitive subject. Since it couldn't get any worse, Luke decided to ask his next question.

"Could you drink another shot, I have to ask you something and you're not gonna like it."

She raised an eyebrow, poured herself a glass and held it up to her mouth.

"Shoot," she said, emptying its content.

He waited for her to be done to prevent any chocking.

"Why did you sleep with him?"

_Oh, Luke... _She studied his features. He looked tired. He looked resigned. She felt bad.

She laid her head on the cushion and looked at the ceiling.

"Why do you sleep with someone, Luke?" she tried to explain.

He got it all wrong. He sighed.

"Because you want to. Right..."

Her head still lying on the cushion, she turned her eyes to him.

"Or because you're really drunk and confused." _And mad at your 'brother',_ she recalled.

She closed her eyes for a moment. She was going to fall asleep if she didn't move.

She whined, "I'm so tired I feel depressed. We should have drunk wine, we would have been more chipper." She sighed and pulled Luke's coat closer onto her. "What time is it?" she asked.

Luke looked at his watch and waiting for his sight to become less blurry. "It's 8:something."

She massaged her temples. "Wow. It's only 8 and I feel like it's 3 a.m.. When did I turn 87?"

He took advantage of her closed eyes to watch her. He had never, in his entire life, met someone so beautiful. Just looking at her soothed him. He felt as if his heart was being squeezed and turned into juice, but it still soothed him. Her beauty physically hurt him. He forcefully tore his eyes away from her and looked at the floor.

Twenty minutes later, Lorelai woke up with a jump. Confused, she wondered where she was until she saw Luke on the other end of the couch. He was sitting up his chin on his chest. Her legs were laying on top of his lap, his arms over them, protectively. As she watched him breathe slowly and steadily, she felt her stomach contracting. Butterflies were filling it now. She had to leave. She tried her best not to disturb him but he was holding to her legs tighter than she had expected. He opened his eyes with a deep intake of breath and seemed out of it for a while. He turned his head towards her, then realized he was almost hugging her legs. He raised his arms so she could sit straight.

Lorelai had an embarrassed laugh. "I haven't fallen asleep at 8 since I'm... 4."

Luke stretched and yawned.

"I'm going to go..." she unwillingly stated.

"You can't drive, Lorelai." He warned her with a look.

"I know. I'm going to walk. Fresh air."

"You can't walk, Lorelai..."

She stood up. "Oh, shush. Of course I..." Feeling dizzy, she felt the floor swirling. "...can't."

She sat back down. "Why can't I walk?" she asked. Luke pointed to the three-quarter empty Tequila bottle.

"Oh." She tried not to yawn and covered her mouth.

"You can stay here," he proposed.

_Ha. Ha. Not. I don't wanna wake up in the middle of the night screaming your name. Or even worse, I don't want you to wake up in the middle of the night because I'm sneaking into your bed._

"No, I really have to go."

"Because you let the stove on and your socks are in it?"

She rolled her eyes and it made her dizzier.

"I can't stay here, Luke."

"You've stayed over before," he said, reminding her that time when the Inn had caught fire.

"Luke..."

"Do whatever you want," he started, "but you're not driving and certainly not walking by yourself, and since I'm not in shape to walk you home... Your only option is to sleep here or do that thing with your nose to make some magic."

"Huh?"

"That witch thing with the nose..."

She smiled. "Bewitched. That would be cool. I can try..."

"Or you can stay."

"You don't even know where your extra blankets are."

He got up, almost imperceptibly trotted and found the blankets. He placed them on the couch and pointed her to the bed. "You can have the bed."

She pouted.

"What?" he asked.

"The bed's cold. The couch's already warmed up..."

He shrugged his shoulders and let her lay down on the newly placed blankets. She comfortably positioned her head on the arm of the couch and smiled up to him.

He held his breath and pulled the covers up to her chin.

Lorelai couldn't fight sleep anymore.

"'Night..." she whispered already half gone.

He hesitantly brushed her forehead. "'Night."

He spent almost an hour watching her sleep. When he dozed off, he could still see her face.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She woke up around 7 and felt like hell. She rubbed her eyes and looked around. Luke wasn't there and she could hear the breakfast crowd downstairs. She shook her dishevelled hair with her hand and sat up. There was a towel and a blue flannel shirt folded on the coffee table. The Tequila and the glasses had disappeared. She saw a note on the shirt. "_You can use the shower. The shirt's in case you're still cold. I'll be back soon. Hope you can walk. Luke._" She read it three times, her smile growing larger every time. She folded the note, found her wallet and put it in. She headed to the bathroom where she saw herself in the mirror and thanked God Luke didn't see her like this.

Once under the hot water, she closed her eyes, leaned against the wall and heard herself sigh in delight. Then she remembered. His hands on hers, weighing on her thighs; her finger timidly caressing his wrist; his smell enveloping her, making her feel at the right place in the right moment; his warm forehead on hers; their noses barely touching; his breath on her lips; the urge to open herself to him... She switched the water to _cold_ and calmed her heartbeats before getting out of the shower. She put on her jeans and considered the flannel shirt...

Luke entered his apartment. His arms full of food, he shut the door closed with his foot and set everything on the table. He heard the bathroom door squeak open and felt knives in his gut when she got out.

She was drying her hair with the towel, she stopped when she spotted him. A shy smile appeared on her lips. Luke thought he had never seen her more gorgeous than like this: hair still dripping wet, no makeup on and his flannel shirt sticking on her still wet skin.

She felt naked and as shy as a 'morning after'.

"Hey..." she let out. "How did you manage to work this morning?"

He gazed away and filled a cup of coffee.

"I honestly don't know. Did I snore?"

She put the towel on a chair and took the coffee. She smirked. "Not this time..."

He frowned. "Not this time?"

"When the Inn caught fire, you were as loud as a growling bear." She looked at the table and saw pancakes and strawberries and bacon.

She tilted her head to him.

"How did you know pancakes were my number one hangover food?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"I've known you for eight years, I've fed you hangover food before..."

"Oh! So every time you brought me pancakes before I ordered, it was because you thought I looked hung over?"

"Yup."

She sat down took four pancakes. He cut some strawberries and dropped them on her plate. He accidentally grazed her shoulder. She looked up at him, unable to erase the grin off her face. There was an amazing level of intimacy that floated around, comfortable and sweet. And intimidating.

Someone knocked at the door.

"Must be Cesar who needs help. The stove is acting again..." he explained.

"Hire it for the play!" she said, licking her fingers full of syrup, watching Luke as he opened the door.

"Doug?" Luke's surprised tone reached Lorelai's ears. Her heart stopped. _Man. What is he doing here?_

Luke let him in.

"Hey Luke!" he hit him on the shoulder and his eyes subtly widened when he saw Lorelai... in a shirt that looked like Luke's, sitting at his kitchen table. "Lorelai..."

She sipped her coffee because she didn't really feel like saying good morning. She was still ticked about him telling Luke about that night.

"You look stunned to see me, Danes. Lorelai didn't tell you I was coming to town this week?"

Luke slowly looked at her. "You knew he was coming over?"

"No! I mean... He mentioned he was maybe going to come see the play but..."

Doug stayed near the door. "I'm not staying long, I was just dropping by to tell you I was here," he said to Luke. "I didn't wanna interrupt your breakfast." He winked at Luke.

And then Luke understood what Doug thought was going on. And he didn't rectify him. He only winked back.

Lorelai caught glimpse of that exchange and nearly laughed. Luke was a very awkward winker.

"Well, I'm gonna go now."

_Good. _

"Did you know Miss Patty offered me the role back?" he added.

Lorelai's smiled vanished instantly and her heart stopped. Luke stiffened. Their eyes widened and their head jerked toward Doug who bursted into laughter.

"Whoa! Relax guys. I was just kidding!"

Lorelai quickly shoved a strawberry in her mouth to give her maintenance and discretely looked at Luke. He locked eyes with her. She had no idea what he was thinking about.

Doug left, Lorelai finished her breakfast. Luke took her plate and she helped him clear the table. All of this in a complete silence. They reached for the milk at the same time and grabbed each other's hand. Lorelai uncontrollably let out a nervous laugh and jerked her hand away, hiding it in her jean pocket.

_So, when did you see him?_ He wanted to ask.

"He called me and left a message on my answering machine yesterday. I forgot about it," she needed to clarify.

He was jealous. He was unhealthily and inexplicably jealous.

"I have to get back to the diner." He had to get out of here before pining her against the wall, letting her know how badly he wanted her to be his.

She realized he was angry and she didn't know how to fix it.

"Okay... Thanks for... everything. I'll clean up."

He nodded and headed towards the door. He opened it. He knew he was being stupid and childish and everything in between. He knew he was ruining a perfectly perfect morning. He knew it, but still didn't know how to shut this nagging feeling up.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Kyle..." she said. She smiled and it cooled him down. And the vision of her smiling, standing in his kitchen, coffee cup in hand, with his flannel shirt on stayed with him all day and all night.

_I'll see you tomorrow..._

* * *

_**TBC...**_

_**A.N.2. **When I first started the chapter, it was supposed to be the last one... but since these 6000-something words were so long to write down, I've realized that I had at least 12 000 more to write and decided to post these before you all found my address and kill me. Please continue to tell me you're still tuned in! Next chapter is the play, I PROMISE YOU._

_Thanks for your patience, readers!_

_Favorite quotes are greatly appreciated, any comments makes my day!_


	10. And the Emmy Goes to 1

_**A.N. **Tom, will you marry me:) Your reviews always go straight to my heart. Every time I read you, I have the urge to sit, put my non-life aside, and write. I don't know if it's because I'm so predictable, but it seems like everything you tell me you'd like to read is already planned out to be exactly it. Thanks for being such a wonderful, faithful reader._

_Thanks to every one of you who took the time to leave me a comment. I can't name all of you since you're like... numerous and since you're probably not even reading this A.N. –and if you are, you're probably like, "Oy! On with the story already! This isn't an Academy Awards acceptance speech!". But thank you all. You've all got a special something that gives me more and more confidence in my writing. I never thought I'd be able to write a story that long in English –cause I'm French Canadian. But I did! Because of you. (Whoa, I'm now quoting Kelly Clarkson...)_

_**Disclaimer:** "Strictly speaking, for fan fictions, there is infringement and the intention to infringe exists. I'm not sure what kind of disclaimer could exculpate that. You should, however, make it clear that you used the characters without permission, that you made no attempt to copyright those same characters, and that you're not using them for profit." --What that says._

* * *

**Chapter 10**

**And the Emmy Goes to... PART 1**

"I don't wanna take my shirt off!" Lorelai yelled as soon as Rory picked up the phone.

"Mom?" _Who else would call you at... 5:59 a.m. to yell about a shirt?_

"I can't do it! I just can't!"

"Go back to sleep, maybe you'll be able to later..." Rory mumbled.

"I can't go back to sleep! I keep picturing me with my shirt off and him... standing there, with a wonderful view of the balcony, and suddenly he starts laughing and... and I... RORYYYY!"

"Well, if the guy doesn't understand you're not ready, then you're better off without him..."

"I'm not talking about a man! Well, technically, yes. But I mean... All of Stars Hollow will be there. I'm not an exotic dancer, I can't do this."

Rory kept quiet.

"Are you picturing me as an exotic dancer?"

"I wish I could tape this conversation."

"When are you coming home?" Lorelai was close to hyperventilation and she didn't have any paper bag. Could plastic do the trick? Maybe she could choke herself with it...

"I've told you seven times already!"

_6:00. Right. She'll be here at 6:00. Only 12 more hours, then I'll have someone to freak out with. Well, to freak out to. _

"Luke won't laugh," Rory reassured her.

Her stomach back flipped. _Oh no! Not again! Not this morning. Not today. Not ever again. Please, make this feeling go away... _

"How do you know I was talking about Luke? You haven't read the stupid play."

She could hear the smile in her daughter's voice.

"I know you guys will kiss and I know you are really nervous about it and since I assume you're not a hooker in the play, I put two and two together and figured out Luke was the one."

"Yeah, Luke is the one."

She heard herself. The panic attack tripled in intensity. Silently.

"Plus," Rory continued, "Luke's the only one who can make you freak out that way."

"What?" Lorelai dismissed. "Excuse me, but I'm the Queen of Freak Outs. I can freak out about anything and anyone in 1.4 seconds. Luke does not have that power."

"He's the only one who can make your voice sound like this..."

_What's wrong with my voice? Great. Now I can't even speak._

Rory knew that, especially since it was the truth, the remark would shut her mother up.

"Okay, now try to think about something else and I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Rory, have you ever been sober, in a public place where hundreds of people are watching you, having your male best friend taking your shirt off? Please say no."

"No..."

"Well then, make it a plan and fifteen hours before it happens, try to think about something else."

"He's probably just as nervous as you are, mom. Maybe even more. He's the one who has to take your shirt off."

_Stop saying 'he's the one'._

"Stop saying 'take your shirt off'," Lorelai interrupted.

"He's probably scared you're gonna slap him or something."

"Now that's something to think about..."

"You're not gonna attack Luke. Talk to Miss Patty. She can't force you if you don't want to. That's illegal."

Lorelai considered the idea and decided that it was exactly what she was going to do.

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She was able to wait until 9. She figured that Miss Patty would be at the studio by then, but as she turned the corner, she spotted Luke sitting on the stairs. She slowed down her pace and automatically pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

He seemed lost in his thoughts and didn't hear her walk up to him, so he slightly jumped when she called his name.

"Luke?"

He jerked his head towards her. _Busted._ He nervously stood up and rubbed his hands together.

"Lorelai, hey..."

He was now staring at her shoes.

Confused, she looked around her, not sure what she was looking for... Maybe a hidden camera or something.

"Did we... have a rehearsal this morning?"

"No," he answered bluntly.

"Okay... Uhm... I'm thinking really hard, and I still can't figure out why you're here. You have to fill me in."

He couldn't tell her the real reason he was here... Suddenly feeling like a coward, he wished he'd never decided to come here. He wished he could deal with taking her shirt off. But he had this irrepressible feeling he was going to pass out on stage if he really had to take Lorelai's shirt off. He knew where all his blood would go, and it was definitely not to his brain. That's why he was here. To _discuss_ with Miss Patty.

"Same reason as you, I assume..."

She gulped. Did he really know how freaked out she was? Was he there to fight the same thing?

"Which would be?" she asked, to make sure.

"You know..."_Think fast, Danes. Come on! _"To... know what time we have to get here tonight."

Relieved, but unsure why she was, Lorelai nodded.

"Right!" She let out a short laugh before she continued. "So, Miss Patty isn't here yet?"

"Oh, she is. She just had to, uhm... check some things before she could answer me..." _Man! She better leave before Miss Patty comes out and blows my cover._ "Why don't you... go in the diner, pour yourself a cup of coffee and I'll give you all the info when I get back," he casually let out.

Lorelai squinted her eyes at him and smirked. Luke was hiding something.

"Pour myself a cup? By myself?"

"Yeah."

"I'd have to go behind the counter, you know?"

_Come on, go! Pour yourself a cup, grab yourself the number of doughnuts you want, dance on the counter or go behind it, anything. Just leavvvvve right now._

Luke's heart was racing in his chest.

"Yeah, whatever. You don't need to wait here since we're both..."

"Luke," she said seriously, "what's going on?"

"Nothing! I just think it'd be a waste of time to..."

Lorelai slowly shook her head. He was definitely up to something and she was really intrigued. Before he could finish his made-up explanation, the studio doors opened and Miss Patty came out, reading the script.

"I'm sorry, stud, but I don't know how I could change this particular stage direction. It's the most powerful moment of the whole show! Just be a man and do it."

_Ha! Luke Danes, you are such a liar!_

"Hey, Miss Patty..." she said to announce her presence, looking at Luke the whole time. He looked like he was going to melt onto the ground. Lorelai had never felt more powerful.

"Well, hello, gorgeous! I hope you're not here to help Luke destroy the play..."

"What's wrong with it?" she said, innocently. Now she really wanted to know what Luke was so uncomfortable with that he had to lie to her.

"Mr. Sensitive over here thinks that taking your shirt off at the end would be too much."

Lorelai would have needed over an hour to process everything that was going through her mind. Of course it was too much. She knew it, he knew it, Miss Patty probably knew it. But the idea was starting to make sense, in a weird way. Luke didn't want her to know he was uncomfortable with taking her shirt off... and Lorelai would have died instead of letting Luke know how much it was a big deal to her. She could make things easy for the both of them and just agree with Luke, pretending she was agreeing because she didn't want _him_ to be uncomfortable... OR... she could try this evil idea that just came out from nowhere. Lorelai grinned to herself. She really didn't know why she'd do it, she just knew she had to. It was going to be an experiment. She didn't know yet what she wanted to prove, but she was going to prove it, despite her own issues. She would try to rise above it. She just hadn't realized she would have to deal with the consequences afterwards. She hadn't realized things could get even more confusing.

"What? Luke, come on! It's just a scene..."

Something in her eyes told him she was challenging him. He felt like an idiot. Patty proposed something.

"Lorelai could put a tank top under her blouse so when _Kyle slowly unbuttons Sara's blouse and parts it, sliding his hands on her stomach_, you'd only be touching her tank top and nobody in the audience would ever know! Huh? It's not written that her whole shirt has to ever touch the ground... though that would be fantastic!"

"Yeah, Luke." Lorelai's voice made him tighten his fists even though he had a straight face on. She was making fun of him, obviously. He hated feeling like a fool. "I'll put a tank top under it, no biggie."

Luke sighed, annoyed.

"Hey, I was just concerned about Lorelai not wanting to show her bra to the entire town, that's it. Put a tank top or don't even put a shirt at all, see if I care!" and he stormed off.

Patty laughed at his attitude, but Lorelai felt horrible. She knew how he felt. She really did. If she had arrived half an hour earlier, _she_ would have been the one in his position, she was aware of that. And now he was probably really mad at her or at himself. The sure thing being that he was furious. And she couldn't blame him because it was all her fault.

"So, Sara-dearest, did you have something to discuss with me?" Patty cooed.

Lorelai tore her eyes from the diner and turned to Miss Patty.

"Uhm..." she cleared her throat. "I just wanted to know... what time we had to be here tonight," she lied.

"6:30. Don't be late, just be as beautiful as always."

Lorelai faintly smiled. When Miss Patty left, she took a deep breath and wondered if she should, or could, fix this.

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Luke would have slammed the door of his diner if there hadn't been all these customers. At least, that's what he tried to convince himself. He wasn't really angry. Sure, it was embarrassing, he had never been more embarrassed in his entire life, but in a way... When you spun the situation and squinted a little, you could see why this was in fact kind of good. Now he _had_ to take her shirt off. She knew he had to and she knew he had tried to get out of it. She probably thought he was as scared as a little girl, which he was, but he was going to show her. His goal, now, was to make _her_ uncomfortable... Because no matter what good this situation had brought, Lorelai did mock him. She was going to pay for all those times she had made him feel like a loser. Tonight was his chance to turn the tables. _That's a positive way of thinking, Danes. _He smiled to himself. _You're on the right track._

He went behind the counter and waited for Lorelai to come in to apologize. He knew she would, because she always did.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She didn't. She had walked around first, to clear her head and to decide on what she was going to say to him. She was doing this kind of planning quite a lot lately. When she had gathered the courage and the words to finally go into the diner, she had seen Doug through the window and changed her mind. No apology with Doug around was a good apology, she had learned that. And it made her realize that Luke didn't need an apology. If he felt like being mad, then he should be mad. Her plan was already out there, anyway. Tonight was her chance to turn the table. She was going to show him what it meant to have your mind and body and soul messed with.

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At 6:00, Lorelai had almost forgotten her plan. She had to be over there in half an hour and she couldn't erase the nervousness off her face... Maybe stage makeup would, she would just have to wait and see. She heard something. She straightened her back and listened carefully, her heartbeats resounding in her ears, making it difficult to hear. Yup, there was someone knocking on the front door. _Maybe it's Luke! _She looked in the mirror and watched herself take a deep breath. _Maybe it's Luke!_ She went down the stairs and stumbled on the last step. _Maybe it's Luke!_ She flattened her hair with her palms and put strands behind her ears. _Maybe it's Luke! _She put her hand on the knob and licked her lips. _Maybe it's... _

"Rory?"

"Well, that didn't sound disappointed at all... Were you waiting for someone else?"

"Why did you..."

"How are you holding up?" she stared at her mom.

Lorelai let her daughter walk in and shut the door.

"Since when do you knock before entering your own house?"

Rory threw her bag on the couch.

"Since you're probably so nervous that if I had walked in without announcing myself with a proper knock, you would have hid and waited for me to walk pass you and then slammed me with an umbrella or a pillow or a sock or something."

"I'm not _that_ nervous, you know. Everything's good. You're still helping with the preps, right? I'm all ready to go."

Rory kept staring, tilting her head.

"What?"

"You're all ready to go?"

"Yes, come on!"

"Mom, you told me you had to be there at 6:30."

"Why are you so cryptic today?"

"It's 6:00. Now, Miss Patty's three minutes away and that's when you walk slowly. Plus, she told you to be there at 6:30 because you're always late and she wanted you to be there at 7."

Lorelai sighed and looked around.

"But I have nothing to do! I've walked around the house for hours now. I know how many square footsteps this house is. Now, if you don't want me to kill myself and leave you with nothing but a mortgage and some cool shoes, we should go. Before I change my mind and leave town. Forever."

"_I'm not that nervous..._" Rory said, imitating Lorelai's voice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everybody was gathered in the high school auditorium. Miss Patty had changed her mind on the studio at the last minute. Kirk, who was angry with Miss Patty and really nervous which was a toxic combination, was walking around whispering "_Taylor never would have changed the emplacement..._"

Rory was helping whoever needed help and Lorelai was all ready, dressed and makeup-ed. She was standing away from every one else. She hadn't seen Luke yet. She could hear the tick-tock of the clock above her head. She refused to look at it despite the voice in her head asking her "_What time is it? What time is it?_" When the tick-tock grew louder, she closed her eyes and stopped fidgeting with her hands.

"The clock is annoying!" she let out.

"Want me to break it for you?"

Her eyes jerked open and she saw Doug standing in front of her. This guy was everywhere she didn't want him to be. She smiled anyway. He continued talking.

"I just wanted to check up on you to see if you were feeling like Luke. He won't admit it but I know he almost threw up earlier."

Lorelai quietly laughed. "He's nervous, huh?"

"Totally. Last time I saw him like this was like... 20 years ago. It was here, actually, in the auditorium. For the school play."

Lorelai looked around to see if she couldn't catch Rory's eyes and telepathically tell her she needed help.

"Listen..." Doug dragged out.

_Oh, boy. This sounds serious. I don't wanna deal with him right now. There's nothing to deal with right now..._

"Doug," she interrupted, "do you, by any chance, know where there's a water fountain? I'm dying of thirst here."

"It's right there, on your left in the hall," he said, pointing to the direction.

She thanked him and quickly walked away, realizing she really was thirsty. She pushed the door to the hallway and saw the water fountain. And Luke drinking from it. He hadn't noticed her yet so she approached him as silently as possible.

"Hey, don't drink it all, I want some."

He stood tall and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. He motioned to the fountain, taking a step back so she could drink. She positioned herself in front of it and hesitated. There was something weird about drinking from a fountain with Luke watching. She felt too self conscious.

"Turn around," she said.

"What?"

This was silly. She leaned forward and pushed the button. The water came out... she released the button.

"I'm not thirsty."

"So why did you come here?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"I was just walking around, you know..."

She heard him sigh. She didn't know if her apology would still be relevant.

"Are you as nervous as I am?" she asked.

"I don't know how nervous you are."

"Well, if the building was to collapse or explode some day, I'd wish it was now... with me in it."

He nodded.

"You know, I was here 20 years ago for what I swore would be my last play..."

"Did you have to kiss someone then, too?" She couldn't believe she really said that.

"No, but Miss Patty wasn't the director and it was not an _All-Adults-Night _production..."

She smiled and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"Luke... I'm really sorry I didn't back you up this morning."

Luckily Luke didn't get the opportunity to respond. The lights flashed three times: it was the signal from Miss Patty telling them to get backstage. The play was about to start. So it was settled. They were going to kiss in a matter of minutes.

Luke, dressed as Kyle, had no baseball cap on, so when he nervously went to replace it, he ended up brushing his hair.

"This is it," he stated.

_He's not gonna accept my apology? Just one more reason to go with the plan, Lorelai. It's too late to change your mind anyway..._

She just kept looking at his face, studying him almost as intently as she had in the storage room a couple of weeks ago, when he was asleep. She locked eyes with him and let her heart sink into her stomach.

"What's wrong?" he asked, almost scared.

She smiled and shook her head.

"I just..." _I have a feeling things are gonna be weird between us after tonight and I just wanted to be sure to remember a time when it was not..._

The lights flashed again. Not a good sign. Miss Patty was probably freaking out because they were not there. Lorelai didn't finish her thought and gestured to Luke who followed her.

Too excited and wanting to see all of the scenes from the spectators' point of view, Miss Patty had taken a seat in the front row. As soon as Lorelai heard the audience hushing and coughing and the music starting, she thought she was going to faint. She grabbed Luke's hand and squeezed it as hard as she could. He barely resisted to the temptation to yelp. He took his hand away, moving his fingers to see if she had broken any of them and looked at her as if she was crazy.

She was visibly panicking. She put both of her hands on her stomach and her face whitened dramatically.

She was about to start crying. She tried to talk but realized she needed to breathe first.

"I can't... I can't, Luke!"

He leaned closer to her and took her hands.

"Look at me," he whispered.

She couldn't.

"You aced that Fiddler on the Roof thing..." he said.

"That was 10 years ago! I was fine in this year's Festival of Living Arts. I didn't flinch, I know, but do you know how hard it was? If standing still on a stage is so difficult for me, how can I possibly talk and move at the same time!"

"Lorelai," he tried to calm her down, "you're the Queen of Verbal, you can talk. Easily."

"I can say stupid things, I can babble on and on about anything, but I don't know if I can recite words that I've learned by heart. I'm not Rory! If there were no text, I probably could do som... Oh, my God! I don't remember my lines! I don't remember any of my lines! Luke!"

He raised her chin with his index so she would look at him in the eye.

"Stop it. Don't think about your lines, it's totally normal to have the feeling that you don't remember anything... You'll be fine. And if you're not, who cares?"

She blinked three times. This was not Luke.

"That's what Doug told me when he thought I was freaking out earlier..." Luke explained.

"You freaked out?" She wasn't sure if this idea was comforting or terrifying.

He rolled his eyes and let go of her hands. Curtain was up.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first 40 minutes went by really fast. Up until now, Kyle and Sara had fought and argued and bantered, and the public was waiting anxiously for them to get together. Fighting with Luke was always fun and believable; Lorelai hadn't screwed up any lines yet.

It was already time for the last scene before the intermission. Lorelai was standing backstage, waiting for her cue. The stage sets were really simple. Three fake walls, a fake door, a fake window, a desk and an armchair... _All of this is fake except for the furniture. You're not Lorelai. He's not Luke._

She walked in and the fake door closed behind her. Her eyes immediately locked with his. _God, he's so sexy dressed in a suit!_ _Luke never dresses up like this except for funerals. This is NOT Luke. _But the eyes were definitely Luke's.

"_Mister McMahon wants the Jenkins' file on his desk first thing tomorrow,_" she said.

"_I know, I was at the meeting too. Is this the only reason you came in here, to tell me this?_" he replied, sorting papers on the desk.

"_Yes._" She remembered she had to be defensive and she raised her chin. He started walking slowly in her direction and she noticed a smile playing on the corner of his lips. She tried not to think about what was about to happen. She tried not to think about all the people watching them. She tried to decide where to put her hands so she didn't look uncomfortable. She took a small step back.

"_No... you could have called me instead._" He was still walking in her direction.

"_Ha! Why else would I be here? To talk about how stupid your girlfriend looked at the party?_" Her voice sounded funny to her. She glanced behind her to make sure she wasn't going to fall off the stage or hit something and she took another step back.

"_I think you came in here because you want me..._"

Lorelai wasn't sure if everybody had heard his line because it was spoken in a low and husky voice... She was sure of one thing: Luke had rehearsed that line a lot.

He was about three footsteps away from her. Her breath started to quicken. She almost forgot it was her turn to talk.

"_I... I don't want you. You're so... not my type. You've never ever been._" She wasn't sure if that was the exact wording, but she heard no one gasping in horror.

Luke was so close, all she had to do was to raise a finger and she'd touch him. He still seemed to want to get closer and she unconsciously tried to move back. Her foot reached the wood of the door; she was stuck. Looking at his chest, she felt her heart pounding through her entire body. Her eyes went up his throat to his jaw and back to his chest. _What happened to your plan, Lorelai? Shhh. Later. Later. Focus._

"_Not your type, huh?_"

Luke had no idea how he was still able to speak. She smelt so good and she looked so scared and he was feeling so weird. His insides were messed up and his hands were shaking. He had to put his thigh through her legs... He motioned his knee to her knees, expecting her to remember this part but she seemed to have lost the ability to move. He tried to lightly push his knee on hers again...

She looked up at him. Was it her turn to talk? She asked him with a look. He leaned forward. She remembered her line.

"_Not my..._"

Unable to get her knees to loosen up, he brought his knee higher to her thighs and pushed his way in intensely watching her reaction.

She felt his thigh a little higher than expected between her legs. She involuntary arched her back to feel him closer and parted her lips, taking a sharp and loud intake of breath.

He had never realized that if he put _his_ leg between hers, one of her leg would get between his also. He felt her shift against him. He swallowed the lump in his throat waiting for her to realize how excited he was. He needed a grip if he didn't want to stumble and fall. He grabbed her right thigh and brought it up to his hip while putting his other hand on the small of her back. _Oh, my God. This is Lorelai!_

She felt him harden on her left thigh and nearly moaned. She clutched on his white shirt to prevent her body from positioning itself where she wouldn't be able to claim her own actions. She thought for a second that she was dead, but the lust she felt in her body and the burning sensation of Luke's large hands on her convinced her she was still alive. More than alive. Her fingers lightly played with his collarbone and she raised her chin higher, tilting her head. _Come on you, idiot! Kiss me before we all die of sexual frustration!_

"Chicken..." she murmured only for him to hear.

He smiled slightly. He leaned his head and brushed her nose with his, taking in her delightful and so arousing perfume. He watched her close her eyes and his throat tightened as he realized the perfection of her beauty. He let his thumb wander on her back and under the waistband of her tight pants. He heard her moan, felt her lower body move onto him.

She slid her hands to the back of his neck, fingers in his hair, ready to pull him into the kiss when his lips finally met hers. Light, warm, shaky. She breathed in as his hand left her back to roam into her hair. Shivers went down her spine. She opened her mouth a little to taste him and took his bottom lip between hers. He broke the kiss and she managed to open her heavy eyelids. _That mouth..._ She felt his eyes on her and shyly met his gaze. They were still so close she could feel his breath on her mouth. And he kissed her again with more confidence. She responded as eagerly as she could, her tongue urging to explore his mouth. Before she could try this new experience, a loud scream made her jump away and break the kiss. She brought a hand to her swollen lips and came back to reality. They were on a stage. The curtain was down. They could hear a thunder of applauds and some weird, really intense spectators screaming their lungs out.

"Oh, Lucifer-all-Mighty! I'm so proud of you two!" Miss Patty yelled, making the stage shake as she ran up to them. "Can you hear how they're responding to it? Can you hear! Keep it up for that shirt scene and there won't be any dry seat in the place!" And she was off.

Lorelai let out a chuckle, her hand still on her lips. She looked at the floor, put a strand of hair behind her ear. She put her hand down as she looked up at Luke. Her heart was still pounding unusually fast. Their eyes met and her stomach flipped. She bit her lips slowly and licked them, taking in the last remains of his taste. They nervously broke eye contact. She needed fresh air. She needed cold air. She needed air. Oxygen. She looked up at Luke but he had vanished. Sorely disappointed, she went through the backstage door and ended up in a hallway. She found a door that led outside, pushed it and finally was able to breathe in. She sighed and sat down. On the ground.

Her head cradled in her hands, she whispered to herself, "Oh, my God... oh, my God, ohmygod."

Her mind had never been that blank before. She bit her bottom lip, remembering how it had felt to kiss him. Be kissed by him. Twice. Still overwhelmed, Lorelai had no idea this was gonna happen. She knew it was going to be stressful, she thought it was going to be weird, she never would have thought it would get this intense. She opened her eyes as a horrifying thought hit her. Had Rory seen this! There was something really unhealthy about it. She had seen her mom get all... into it? Then she laughed. _She must be so grossed out! _And she stopped laughing. There was another scene coming up. The _plan_ scene. Lorelai really didn't want to go through with it anymore... but it was too late. She took a minute to get herself together before getting up. She was afraid to go in. She was afraid to see Luke. She was afraid _not_ to see him. She wanted to see him. Was this supposed to be so confusing?

She opened the door and peeked in the hallway. No one. She entered, wondering how many minutes were left. She reached the dressing room. No one. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw the ravage Luke had done. Her cheeks were all red, her lips were still swollen, her eyes were sparkling. _All of this with a kiss? I would totally be able to see the glow everyone talks about if I slept with him..._ She shook her head a couple of times to erase those images. Before she could freshen up her makeup, a technician barged in.

"Sara! Come on, we're starting now!"

_Sara. Right,_ she remembered, disillusioned._ I'm not Lorelai. _She had never felt more like Lorelai in her entire life.

* * *

_**TBC**_

_**A.N.2 **Sorry to end this one like this but I had WAY too much stuff to write for it to be the last chapter... so I decided to split this and give you something while I finish the rest... Stay with me:) Please? Was it too weird? Was it acceptable?_


	11. And the Emmy Goes to 2

_**A.N. **Honestly? I really hadn't expected you to like the chapter as much as you seem to. I'm really happy and that's probably why this PART DEUX is up already. This story had a life of it's own, and it seemed to wanna fancy itself as the Never Ending Story. When I first began to write it, I thought it'd be over after 5 chapters.. Ha. So... Well, enjoy. Read slowly because this concludes our 4-months ride together. _

_Maddy... "I like hanging with you" and I miss you._

_**Disclaimer:** "You know..." "I know?" "You know. He knows!" "You know?" "I know."_

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**And the Emmy Goes to... (****PART "DEUUUUUUX")**

Luke was leaning against the wall, pretending to listen to Kirk reciting his lines.

"I'm sorry, Miss Patty," he heard her whisper. "I didn't notice the time."

He turned his head to her. This 15 minute break had been way too short. He had spent all of them hiding in the teachers' lounge upstairs; hiding from everyone, hiding from her. He had been sitting there trying to relax, trying not to think about the upcoming scene, thanking God she was going to wear this tank top. After all, she had apologized, so she had agreed that bare skin was not the best idea. He had hoped for Lorelai to find him up there and he had day-dreamed about her entering the room, not saying anything and just walking up to him, sitting on top of him, straddling his lap. He could still taste her warm, shaky and surprisingly demanding lips. He had it bad. Luke was _not_ a day-dreamer.

He had kissed her. For real. Well, he had _really_ kissed her for fake. Twice. The second wasn't planned, only delicious. And she had responded to the two kisses. Of course, she was not going to push him away in font of everyone, but she had even moaned. He had to stop re-living that moment or it would be impossible for him to walk.

She caught Luke's gaze and shivered. Wrapping her arms around herself, Lorelai tried to imagine her plan actually being followed... She would have smashed her head into the brick wall. _What were you thinking! This is so not you. You'll look like an idiot, he'll think you're crazier than you really are. Why didn't you bring something in case you changed your mind! LORELAI, MAN!_ She hadn't been thinking, that's why. And now, she was thinking too much and too fast. _Rory!_ She needed to talk to Rory, her savior. She turned around and spotted Miss Patty about to walk through the door to go back to her seat.

"Miss Patty!" She ran up to her. Luke examined the scene, wondering what this was all about. He couldn't hear anything. "Miss Patty, stop! I have to see Rory. Now!"

"Darling, the intermission's over. People are waiting..."

"They won't die if you give me 5 minutes; I, however, will."

"Lorelai, this is silly. You can see Rory when the play's over. This isn't good for your concentration. Stay focused..."

"I can't focus! If you don't go get Rory right now, I'll..." She wasn't good with threats. "...uhm... I simply will change the ending."

"What?" Patty was confused.

"Yeah! That's it. I'll make Sara turn into a lesbian."

"Well... it depends," Patty thought.

"Depends on what?"

"Whom would she hook up with?"

Lorelai's eyes widened.

"Go get Rory, please."

Patty sighed. "It better be worth it." She went to find Rory.

Lorelai breathed more easily. She glanced over her shoulder. Luke was still watching her. She quickly looked back at the door Miss Patty had disappeared behind. Rory peeked in.

"Mom?"

"Oh, thank God!" She grabbed her daughter's arm and dragged her in the hall. She made sure no one was around.

"Give me your bra!"

Rory gasped and wrapped her arms around herself, protectively.

"What? No!"

"Rory, give me your bra!" she insisted.

She stared at her mother, mouth open. Was she serious?

"Is this a game?"

"Stop talking, take it off now and hand it to me."

"What for? You're gonna burn it as a feminist protest?"

"I'm gonna wear it. Come on! I only have a minute left..."

In shock, Rory frowned.

"Is this the new edition of the now classic 'your boobs are bigger than mine?"

"This is the new edition of 'save your mother from humiliation'."

Lorelai motioned towards her. Rory took a major step back.

"Whoa! You're crazy! I'm not giving you my bra! Yours is probably not as awful as you think..."

"I'm not concerned about the quality of the material, I'm concerned about the lack of it!"

"Lack of quality?"

"Lack of material!" Lorelai exclaimed, louder.

"You're not wearing a bra!"

Lorelai closed her eyes and winced. Rory continued, gesticulating.

"But Luke... He's gonna... your shirt... and you... Whoa."

Rory gathered her thoughts. "But... why? How?"

"I forgot!" she lied.

"You forgot? How is this something you forget? You've been wearing one since you're 12!"

"Lecture's over."

Lorelai put her hand in front of Rory, palm up. Rory vigorously shook her head.

"Didn't you get the horrifying ramifications of the situation, here?"

"But I don't want Luke to see my bra!" Rory cried out.

"He won't know it's yours!"

"_I_'ll know it! It was really weird for me to see my mother make out on a stage, I'll never recover if she does with _my_ bra on!"

Lorelai brought her hand to her forehead.

"You think you'll feel better looking at your mom making out on a stage knowing that she's not wearing anything under her shirt?"

Rory's eyes went on her mother's shirt. She hastily closed her eyes.

"Man! Uh..." Rory was about to give in when she thought of something. "I could drive home really fast and go get one of yours!"

Lorelai jumped on Rory and hugged her really tight.

"The keys of the Jeep are in my purse... which I left in the Jeep."

"Clever..."

"Hurry up! I need it before the shirt scene or it will only be useful to hang myself with afterwards."

Rory ran outside.

_She runs funny, _Lorelai thought.

--------------------------------------

Once she returned backstage, Patty immediately gave the cue to the technicians and the music started playing. Luke was standing next to her, watching the scene that was being played.

"You okay?" he quietly asked.

She crossed her arms over her chest. _I'm sure he knows I'm not wearing anything._

"Yup." She had no idea what scene they were at. "I'm lost. What scenes are left?"

She was not looking at him. _Maybe I was too... eager in that last scene. _

"Uhm... that's Kirk's only talking scene. You know the one Patty had to add for him? The one where he's doing an interview to get into our firm? That's only Kirk and Andrew."

"Right, right..."

"And then there's the one where you see me with my girlfriend and we fight; then there's the one where we fight and I learn that you're moving to Canada; then there's the... uhm..."

"The shirt scene," she finished for him.

"Yeah."

_Three scenes... 15 minutes... Rory will make it._ She glanced at the door that led to the hallway... She sighed. Why had she wanted to mess with Luke like this? She was only ending up messing with herself. She wasn't strong enough to manipulate him without getting emotionally involved. _Emotionally involved! Involved, yes. Emotionally?_ She should have worn that stupid and safe tank top. She should have... _TANK TOP! Rory went home to get a bra, I should have told her to get my tank top! It's right there, on the bed where I left it when considering the plan. I have to call her! _She glimpsed at the Kirk scene. She wouldn't have time to look for a payphone. _A cell phone, I need a cell phone!_ She turned to Luke. _Nah. He doesn't own any technologic stuff. For a Trekkie, that's pretty weird._ She looked behind her. All the other cast members were there.

"Any of you have a cell phone?" she asked, whispering.

Some shook their heads, she heard one say "not on me" and the others didn't care to answer. She sighed again.

"What do you need a cell phone for?" Luke questioned.

"Do you have one?" she answered.

"You know I don't."

"That's all I wanted to know."

"You're taking a poll or something?"

"Or something," she said still not looking at him.

"Hey, what's up with you?"

A wave of guilt washed over her.

"I'm sorry. I really need to call Rory."

She hugged herself tighter.

"Now? She's in the audience, her cell phone should be off..."

She listened to his rant about cell phones and public places while letting her eyes stray on stage. _He would have made a great striker in college_, she thought. There! On the desk! In front of Kirk! She couldn't do that, could she? Patty would be furious... _Whatever. _She barged in the scene, interrupting Andrew who was about to speak.

Stunned, Andrew and Kirk looked at her walk to the desk. No one in the audience knew this wasn't part of the scene.

"Lo... Sara!" Andrew said, squirming on his seat.

"I'm sorry to interrupt the interview." She pointed to the cell phone and turned to Kirk. "Can I use it?"

"Uh..."

"Thank you," she said, taking it. Once she had it in hand, she tried to dial, ready to leave, when she realized her mistake. Her shoulders dropped along with her stomach. She put it back on the table, and took a step back, embarrassed. She caught a glimpse of Miss Patty in the front row who was covering her mouth with both her hands.

"It's fake," she explained. The crowd burst into laughter. She pointed to Kirk, looking at Andrew. "Give him a real one and a 5 monthly raise. He starts on Monday."

She turned around and swooped off.

"I'm hired!" Kirk exclaimed.

"Looks like it..." she heard Andrew mutter.

"That never happened before!" Kirk was really excited.

"Uhm..." Andrew cleared his throat. "Can we continue this interview now?"

"Why?" Kirk asked. "I already have the job."

Andrew glanced at Miss Patty and looked back at Kirk. "Uhm... Procedure."

"Oh, okay... I had just said _I'm grateful for you to see me. I know you have a busy_ blah, blah. You're turn."

The crowd laughed, Andrew sighed, Patty breathed in and out, Babette was holding her hand, blowing wind in her face with the brochure of the play.

She got backstage, Luke was looking at her, waiting for an explanation. She just flashed a fake smile at him.

"Kirk deserved it," she said.

"A 5 monthly raise, too? Our firm will go down..."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They were already playing the _I'm moving to Canada_ scene. Lorelai had trouble remembering her lines, only thinking about the time. What would she do if Rory didn't get there on time? What was taking her so long? She said her last line and then left the stage. She had never felt more breast-conscious in her entire life. She would probably develop cancer if her daughter didn't arrive promptly. She had about three minutes, now. Kyle was currently breaking up with that girl... Then their scene would fade to black, a change of sets, and she would have to be on again, for _the_ scene.

She reached the wings just as Rory quietly opened the door. Lorelai would have cried of relief.

"What took you so long?" she asked, urging Rory back to the hall.

"There's something really weird about picking your own mother's lingerie..."

Rory took the bra out of her jacket pocket and handed it to Lorelai.

_The black lace one._

"Oh..." Lorelai let out.

"What now?"

"I can't wear this one..." she murmured, remembering the night when Luke had looked through her laundry basket for her script.

"How am I supposed to know which bra you want Luke to see!" she whined, exasperated. "Do you have a special drawer?" Realizing how gross that sounded, she closed her eyes. "Scratch that. Take this." She pushed the bra towards Lorelai.

_This or nothing, Lorelai! He's probably not gonna look at it... He probably doesn't remember it. He is not going to think you put it on on purpose... is he?_

"It's fine. Thank you, babe. Now go watch mommy make out," she kidded.

Rory ran back to the audience, shouting 'good luck'.

She didn't have time to go into the dressing room, she had to settle for the hallway. _I'm half naked in Stars Hollow High. Debbie and the other 'desperate' moms would be proud!_ Luckily, no one passed by. She went back in the wings. The stage was dark, she had to take place on her spot.

She made sure her blouse was buttoned properly before taking a deep breath. The lights faded in and Luke knocked on the fake door. Lorelai opened it and got weak in the knees.

"_What are you doing here?_" she said, acting surprised. She was not surprised, of course. She knew what was going to happen... She just had no idea how she was going to react. _It's still time to make Sara turn into a lesbian..._

He answered with a serious tone and his voice made her stop breathing for a moment.

"_We need to talk._"

"_I don't have anything to say to you, Kyle._" He walked passed her. She closed the door and turned to him. _I'm not ready, I'm not ready,_ she kept repeating to herself, pulling on the hem of her blouse.

Luke's voice got angrier. She jumped a little.

"_So you're just going to leave without a word? After all we've been through?_"

"_What do you want from me!_" she wailed, her voice cracking. _I wish you'd want something... Whoa. What was that?_ She continued, "_All of this was a mistake, you said it yourself. You want me to beg you? Is that it? Huh?_"

He approached her faster than he had done in rehearsal. She panicked a little and back away so abruptly that her back hit the door. By some kind of miracle, it didn't fall.

"_You can't leave,_" he pleaded. He brushed her face with the tip of his fingers.

"_You should... go..._" Lorelai fought hard not to lean against his hand... Luke let it slide along her neck. She trembled. They locked eyes when his hand reached the collar of her blouse. "_I mean it. Get away from me._"

"You're blocking the door..." Luke said.

That was not in the script, but she didn't notice. Neither did Miss Patty, panting heavily. Lorelai looked down and looked at his arms... The feeling of his hands on her collarbone was intoxicating. She took a short intake of breath. She felt his finger under her chin as he pushed it up. She looked at him in the eye. Her mouth went dry. He slowly glided his finger from her chin along her throat and felt her swallow with difficulty. He took the first button between his fingers. They were still lost in each other's eyes when the first button was undone. It was not easy for her to let hey eyes open. She slowly battered her eyelashes.

When Luke undid the second button, whispers arose, a sookie-ish squeal lingered from somewhere in the back rows, a nervous laugh was heard, Babette shouted, "Oh, my God!"

The building would have been on fire, they still wouldn't have snapped out of it.

Luke was fighting with the third button, his fingers refusing to stop trembling. _She should stop me. She should stop me before I lose it and think this is true..._ He thought maybe he should stop staring into her eyes and concentrate at what he was doing, but just before he decided to look down, he succeeded. His hands were so shaky that his fingers accidentally touched the top of her cleavage.

His fingers on her skin gave her goose bumps. She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them again, he was not looking at her face anymore.

Luke couldn't believe it. With the fourth button undone, he could clearly see her black lacy bra. Where was the tank top? He couldn't help himself but gaze at her breast, where he could guess her hard nipples. He gasped, undid the last button and looked back into her eyes with a questioning, dumbfounded look.

She understood him right away and whispered, "I forgot..." She bit her lips.

He looked at her skin again as he put his hands on her waist, parting her blouse carefully so he could be the only one to enjoy it. He slowly moved his hands upwards and his thumbs brushed the sides of her bra. _Were the stage directions so precise?_

A moan came from his stomach and got stuck into his throat. She was so tiny between his hands. It was physically hurting him not being able to bring her closer, to hold her onto him... He just didn't want her to feel the intensity of his desire. He moved a little sideways so no one in the audience would notice.

Lorelai desperately needed a grip. Her legs were giving up on her. Her whole body was screaming for him, her breasts were aching to be pressed against him. She clutched on his arms and pulled him closer. She slightly parted her legs and felt his hardness on her crotch. Surprised, it was her turn to gasp. He tightened her grip on her skin and it increased tenfold her lust. She timidly looked up at his face and they studied each other. Almost panting, Lorelai couldn't bare his look anymore. She just closed her eyes.

He couldn't fight it any longer. He leaned in and tentatively took her lips. She sighed into it and moved her arms around his neck, playing with his hair. He wanted to kiss her neck, he wanted to kiss her breast and her stomach. He grazed his tongue onto her bottom lip.

The warmth and the shyness of his tongue made her slide her hands to his hip to press him harder against her. He took her head between his hands and she opened her mouth to meet his tongue. The sweet taste of him infatuated her. Her hips shifted with a circular motion and she cupped his face. Her heart nearly stopped when a thunder of sensations exploded in her stomach and between her legs. She broke the kiss to gasp and panted. A look to one another alarmed them. They pulled away, almost scared.

It was then that they realized the play was over. The curtain was down, their fellow actors were joining them on the stage. As an automat, Lorelai rapidly re-buttoned her blouse and put herself in the line formed by everyone. The curtain went up, they took two steps ahead, grabbed each other's hands and bowed down. The people in the audience were screaming and whistling and clapping. Lorelai was staring in front of her, not seeing anything.

As soon as the curtain went down again, she hurriedly walked into the hall and pushed the door that led outside. She heard the door shut behind her. She let her back fall against the brick wall, her eyes closed. She tried to catch her breath. She had wanted Luke really badly. She had needed him. Her body was already missing him. She harshly wiped her lips, trying to erase the desire she had felt, trying to make the longing go away. She grinded her teeth and clutched her fists. Where was the real Lorelai? Where was Wonderwoman? How could she still be trembling like this?

Maybe this would pass eventually. She had spent an unusual amount of time with Luke these past few weeks, she got caught up in her character, she wasn't seeing straight. _I'm making a big deal out of nothing..._ _I'm just still in a post-stress shock, that's all._ She loaded her lungs with the cold November air and went back inside to get her stuff.

She caught herself looking for Luke and was disappointed to hear he had gone home already. On the other hand, she was relieved. She had no idea what she would have told him if she had seen him so soon. She was ready to meet Rory in her Jeep when she heard Patty call her name.

"You're coming to the after-party, right?"

"I don't know..."

"You owe me this much after the near-death experience you gave me tonight..." she added.

"I'll see. I have to go home first, to change." _And to find an excuse._

"Alright, doll. I'll see you there."

---------------------------------------------------

On the ride home, she hadn't said a word. Rory didn't push her to talk, but when Lorelai threw herself on the couch, she felt the need to.

"Are you hungry?"

Lorelai made a face and shook her head.

"Coffee, then?"

"No, thanks."

Surprised, Rory got nearer.

"Why?"

Lorelai just put up her hand for Rory to see it shake.

"Oh... Are you going to the party?"

"I don't think so..."

"Why?"

Lorelai sat up.

"Rory, I don't know if you noticed, but I'm not really in the mood to talk."

Rory sat next to her and Lorelai felt obligated to explain why she didn't want to go to the party.

"I just need some time..."

"Time for?"

She sighed. "Time away from Luke," she let out, touching the inside of her cheek with her tongue.

Taken aback, Rory tried to understand.

"You sick of him?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm sick."

"He probably won't be at the party, you know?"

_True._

"Rory!"

"I'm just saying that if you don't go, you'll need to explain yourself to everyone who's there..."

"Why doesn't Luke have to explain himself?" she mumbled.

"Luke would have to explain himself if he went..."

-------------------------------------------------------------

She couldn't believe she was there. She was in no mood for chit-chats and small talks. She went straight to the punch bowl and filled her glass. She knew he was standing behind her before he even announced himself. She filled another glass and turned around to give one to him.

"You'll need it," she said, insisting after he had refused.

"Why would I need rat poison?"

"When everyone starts talking to you about our kisses, I swear you're going to wanna die quickly."

He took it. Avoiding eye contact, they both too a sip. A tiny uber-strong sip.

Every time things were awkward between them, they always thought 'this is the most awkward moment we've ever experienced'; they both understood how wrong they had been.

"So!" she started. "Explain yourself!"

"Huh?"

"Why are you here?"

"Kirk bribed me into it."

"What! How?" she laughed.

"He said he wouldn't come to the diner for two straight weeks if I came to the party for 2 hours."

_Only 2 hours. _

"He really wanted you to be here," she said.

_So did I. _She took a bigger sip and locked eyes with him above her glass. They felt they had to talk about it. There was not enough words in their vocabulary to do so.

"Here they are!"

Luke turned around and saw Doug walking towards them, saying, "Congratulations, that was something!"

They didn't look at each other even though they were burning to. Lorelai looked at Doug. She needed to talk to him. She needed some advice. She quickly glanced at Luke before asking, "Doug, can I talk to you for a sec?"

Luke's head jerked towards her. _This is not happening._

"Sure," he answered.

She timidly looked at Luke and told him she'd be right back. Luke took two sips and refilled his glass.

When she judged the distance being safe, she stopped walking and turned to Doug.

"Okay, uhm... I should probably not go to you for this, but you're the only actor I know, and even though I kind of like the Internet, I can't bring myself to go on a website and ask a celebrity... Firstly because I don't know who I'd chose to talk to, there's way too many of them and most of those I'd like to talk to are dead and I don't have a strong belief in the Ouija board, and secondly because they would never answer me back, or someone pretending to be them would and the answer wouldn't be genuine, but most importantly because I don't wanna become one of those crazy Internet people... So here, I'm asking you: Has it ever happened to you to be in a play and there's this woman who's in the play too and you're supposed to play love interests... My question is, has it ever happened that you get so intensely into your character that you completely get into it and then suddenly you misread your character's feelings and you think their yours and..."

"Lorelai?" he interrupted with a smile.

"What?" she finally breathed.

"You're not that good of an actress..."

She blinked a few times. _What's that supposed to mean?_

"You didn't like the play?"

"No! No, no, no! That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying... to me, and to most of the audience who knows you both, there was no Sara and no Kyle on that stage tonight."

She took in what he said and swallowed it with some punch.

They walked back to Luke who had taken place at a table for four. Just by seeing his back and his blue baseball cap, she understood how deeply right Doug was. She, Lorelai Gilmore, had really strong, confusing, inerasable, not so new feelings for Luke. Luke Danes. Diner man. Annoying health inspector. Sarcastic mocker. Ranting hero. Sexy flannel guy. Reliable shoulder. Friend for life. An unusual and so quiet inner peace washed over her... until she sat down next to him and inadvertently brushed his leg with hers under the table.

"Sorry!" she blushed.

Doug talked for most of the time, which was a good thing. The two others could pretend to listen, nodding once in a while, and still let their thoughts run free in their minds. That was until he proposed a game. A game which consisted of throwing a penny into an empty glass. The person who succeeded had the right to ask a question to another and that other was obligated to answer after drinking a shooter of punch. Killer. Doug was already out of it. He had fallen asleep a while ago, way too wasted. It had been 45 minutes since the last time a penny got into the glass; he laughed every time she missed, so she missed a lot. When Luke got it in, Lorelai closed her eyes. Maybe if she pretended to sleep he wouldn't ask...

"It's in, right?" Luke wanted to make sure.

"Hum... No..."

"Yes, it is, look! It's in."

"Congratulations," she said. She motioned to take the penny back. "My turn..."

"Hey, I've got a question."

_Crap._ She winced and drank a shot of punch. She was going to pass out soon. "Shoot."

"What did you talk about with..."

"I so knew you'd ask that," she sighed. She tried to answer without answering. "I... asked him for an advice."

The pressure in Luke's chest flew away.

"So you didn't ask him out?"

Lorelai burst into laughter and didn't bother to answer. It took three more turns for Lorelai to finally get the penny in.

She looked at him a while, until his uneasiness showed. Now. She could have her answer. It was going to be settled once and for all.

She could hardly breathe. She wished she was a smoker. Smoking a cigarette would have been a great thing to do right now.

"Did you..." How could she formulate this? "Was it you or was it Luke?"

Luke frowned repeating the question in his head.

"I don't get it... Was it me or Luke... I'm Luke. Who's me?"

She realized she had misspoken... She panicked and changed her question.

"Will it be weird between us, now?"

"Nah..." he tried to convince himself.

"Is it gonna be weird forever?" She played with her empty glass.

"Things are gonna go back to normal soon."

"When?" she pressured.

He rolled his eyes.

"In a week. Next Thursday, 9:03 p.m.," he teased.

"Good..."

They smiled at each other, then broke eye contact to breathe more easily. A few seconds later, Lorelai stared at her hands.

"So... what.. now?" she stammered before biting her lips.

Luke was lost. What was he supposed to say?

Doug groaned and woke up.

"I better get him out of here," Luke said before getting up.

_SO WHAT NOW! _She wanted to scream.

"Okay..." she whispered.

"I'll see you later."

Luke ran away. Again.

_Next Thursday, 9:03 p.m., huh?_ She mentally set her watch.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

It would be a week tonight. A whole week of nothing. He had said things would go back to normal, but that was not the normal she wanted. She missed him. She was seeing him everyday, she was talking to him everyday... She sorely missed him.

Miss Patty had a special 'Goodbye Reunion' for all the cast that night and when Lorelai got there, Luke was standing tall in the back. She tightened her grip on her purse, smiled and walked up to him.

"Hey! What are you doing here?"

"I was part of the play, if you remember..."

_I remember, I remember._

"It's just not your thing, that's all."

She looked away.

Miss Patty started to talk.

"We are all gathered here to remember the great times we had together. Getting over something like this is a really difficult mourning process that I'd like to start it with you. Now, the first thing I want you to do is this last little exercise. Pair up with your other half, grab each other's hands and do what I'll say."

"Grrrreat," Luke grimaced. "I thought she was just going to talk."

"Miss Patty's an action woman, didn't you learn anything?" She winked.

Patty's voice rose again.

"Luke, Lorelai, join hands and sit down..."

They sat down and they hesitated before touching hands. As soon as the contact occurred, their eyes locked. The hole in Lorelai's stomach grew bigger.

"Now, when I call out your name, you will say your favourite line of one of your scenes... and let it go."

"This is silly..." Luke mumbled.

She squeezed his hand to hush him.

"Kirk," Patty called.

"I love them all, Miss Patty. I have a lot of healing to do."

"Lorelai," she called next.

Lorelai just stared at Luke. She had to do something.

"Lorelai?" Patty asked again.

"Can I talk to you?" she quietly asked.

"That's not a line..." Luke pointed out.

"Can I talk to you?" she repeated.

"Oh. Okay..." They got up and walked to the doors. Patty let out a laugh.

"Now, I know what their favorite line was..."

Lorelai shut the doors and looked at her shoes the whole way to the empty dinner.

Luke waited. And waited.

"Didn't you wanna ta..."

"I miss you, Luke."

There, she had said it. It was out. She could die in peace now. Right now, preferably.

"Wha...?"

_Man, he's dense._

"I miss you." She shrugged a shoulder.

"You... come in here every day, we have a normal banter and all."

"You're right in front of me now," she said, "and I still _miss_ you." She put her hands on her stomach and sighed.

_I don't understand! I don't understand! What is he trying to say? God, help me. I'm stupid._

He was just staring at her. She waited a few more seconds, in case he was really slow to process... Nothing. Her throat tightened horribly and before she made an even bigger fool out of herself, she turned around and walked to the door.

_Whoa! Wait!_

"Lorelai!" He grabbed her arm and stopped her. She refused to look at him so he went in front of her and raised her chin with his finger.

After searching for words for a moment, he gave up. He leaned in and brought her lips to his. Her heart started racing. She pulled away. _Is this what I think it is or is he just..._ He kissed her again, tentatively, and she leaned against him, breathing in. She pulled away again. He had a smile on his face and up into his eyes.

They stayed mute, gazing deeply into each other, eyebrows frowned.

_What does this mean?_

_I don't know._

_Wow._

_Are we..._

_I don't know._

_Oh, my God._

_What do you..._

_I don't know._

They were exactly on the same page, they just didn't know where in the book.

"Is this another Miss Patty exercise?" she asked.

He chuckled, she pressed her lips together, trying to stop beaming.

She hesitatingly laid her palms on his chest.

"Luke?"

He looked into her eyes. She had the sensation her heart had stopped pounding to start shaking, thousands of loose butterflies were making a wonderful mess inside her.

She asked, "Are you scared too?"

He brushed her cheek with his thumb.

"Totally freaked out."

She took a deep breath and tiptoed. She cupped his face between her hands and lingeringly teased his mouth with her lips. She brushed them over his bottom lip, aroused him with her warm, shaky breath and softly ran her tongue over it. She sensed him quiver. He opened his mouth to deepen the kiss, but she slightly pulled away, making him moan. She touched his parted lips again with her tongue first, and then fully tasted his mouth with hers.

A few seconds after they broke apart, Lorelai still had her eyes closed. She let her hands wander on his neck and lowered them, over his chest, to grab his waist. She opened her eyes and recognized the intensity of his gaze. It sent chills down her spine. She smirked.

"What?"

She bit her lip.

"Was it... yours or Kyle's?" She tilted her head.

"Whose what?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh Jeez..."

It was 9:09 p.m.. They were 6 minutes late, but they were definitely happy with their new definition of _normal_.

_**The End**_

* * *

_**A.N.2 **Thank you all for your amazing support... I'm sorry it's over. :( Let's start the healing process..._

_If you have an idea or a suggestion to give me for a future fic, please send it to me. It would have to be approved by my wonderful friend and partner Maddy, but it could be the next WLB4! Ahhahaha I feel like I'm starting a contest or something. "The ninth caller gets the prize!"_

_P.S. It was totally his._


	12. Thanks to the readers

I just wanted to thank you for all your amazing support. You guys have been incredible. And I miss GG terribly.


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